The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) or tissue types are the products of a rapidly developing field of knowledge within the last 20 years. In the early stages of the research many investigators suspected the existence of a complex series of transplantation antigens, but it was widely believed that these antigens would not be well-defined even in this century. Yet in the last two decades as many as 124 different HLA antigens determined by at least 7 very closely linked genes located on the short arm of chromosome 6 have been identified and subsequently agreed upon by an international nomenclature committee. 1 Extensive international collaboration fueled by the potential clinical application of these antigens to clinical transplantation has advanced the field rapidly. There were nine inter national histocompatibility workshops held during this period. Although iden tification of HLA antigens was of primary clinical importance in transplantation 2 and of great basic interest in human genetics and anthropology, a rather un expected bonus has been the determination that HLA antigens are associated with disease susceptibility to a greater extent than any other known genetic marker in man. In the past, many genetic polymorphisms have been suspected to be associated with diseases. The most extensively studied markers are blood groups, enzymes, and serum proteins. A comprehensive account of published studies, totalling approximately 1,000, of these markers is available in a book by Mourant et al."

Childhood allergies are booming, but what if there was a way to prevent allergies in the first place? What if simple lifestyle changes in the critical first 1000 days could change your baby's life? For families across the world, eczema, asthma, hay fever and food allergies are constant anxieties, sometimes with devastating consequences. Leading gastroenterologist Dr Vincent Ho has taken a deep dive into the exploding medical field of gut health and explains that from conception to birth, and from breastfeeding to the introduction of solid foods, small steps go a long way in preventing allergies and fortifying your baby's immune system. Dr Ho cuts through the scientific jargon to provide strategies for allergy management and treatment, and shows you how to strengthen your child's gut health for the long term - all before they begin to walk. The Healthy Baby Gut Guide is packed with sensible advice, surprising scientific discoveries and even a nutritionist-approved nine-week infant meal plan to help parents navigate the introduction of common allergenic foods. Practical, easy-to-follow and utterly eye-opening, this book is essential reading for every parent and parent-to-be. 'Essential reading for every parent and parent-to-be.' - Dr Rupy Aujla, Author & Founder, The Doctor's Kitchen 'This is a really useful guide. Dr Vincent Ho has put together an easy to read and understand book on how to reduce allergies in children. I highly recommend this book in your list of baby books to read.' - Dr Sonny Chong, Consultant Paediatrician and Gastroenterologist, Queen Mary's Hospital for Children 'A terrific evidence-based guide to help parents foster the optimum gut health for their babies. As a mother and scientist, I will turn to this book time and time again. Dr Ho is clearly and expert in his field, navigating a tricky subject with admirable ease and dexterity.' - Dr Saliha Mahmood Ahmed

This dictionary provides a comprehensive list of the terms and definitions commonly used in clinical rheumatology and osteology, and the new edition has been extended to include more than 50 additional entries. The book contains systematic descriptions relating to diseases of the locomotor apparatus, including osteoporosis, and important laboratory findings; special reference is made to the immunological parameters, which are essential for correct definition of rheumatologic disorders. Another focus is the general principles of pharmacological treatment, including biologicals and modern therapy. Information is also provided on individual disorders in the field of mineral metabolism and metabolic osteopathies and basic issues in rheumatic surgery. General entries are included from the fields of physical medicine and physiotherapy, including a system of functional assessment. The Dictionary of Rheumatology will be of value for medical students and all who are training in this specialty.

The impairment of lung function caused by environmental exposure to pollutants and toxicants is a rising health problem, particularly in highly industrialized parts of the world. The problem is urgently calling for the development of new methodologies to assess both the level of elemental exposure and the effects for quality of health and longevity. This volume provides state-of-the-art information about the recent advances in occupational and non-occupational pollutant-related disorders of the respiratory tract, and the assessment of a threat they pose for the health-span. Heavy traffic-related air pollution, unnoticeable but salient health detriment, is dealt with at length.

Histamine is an important mediator of allergic diseases, but knowledge of histamine as a cause of numerous non-allergic symptoms and signs is limited. This book offers wide-ranging coverage of histamine intolerance. There is extensive background discussion of the origin of histamine, its content in food and alcoholic beverages and intolerance to red wine. Diagnosis of histamine intolerance is explained and the various symptoms of histamine intolerance are clearly described. Subsequent chapters cover the relation of histamine to a wide variety of conditions, including drug intolerance, atopic dermatitis, seasickness and osteoporosis. This book will prove of value in clinical practice by facilitating differential diagnosis, which is by no means straightforward given the multiplicity of symptoms of histamine intolerance and by assisting in the selection of therapeutic measures.

Allergy and Allergen Immunotherapy: New Mechanisms and Strategies is a valuable and comprehensive book that covers allergy and causative allergens and provides diagnostic and therapeutic aspects as well. With chapters from internationally recognized experts in the field, the book provides a balanced approach to enumerating pollen allergens as well as allergy diagnosis and therapeutic management and safety assessment of genetically engineered food allergens. The book features a special section on allergic diseases and allergens from tropical countries, including such countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Iran, and South Korea, giving the book a global appeal. The book is broken in the following sections: Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, and Diagnosis of Allergy Aerobiology and Allergic Diseases Pollen Allergy in the Tropics and Temperate Regions Allergy in Children Food Allergy Evaluation Allergen Immunotherapy and Anti IgE The book deals not only on basics of allergy and allergen immunotherapy but also discusses indoor environments and safety considerations of genetically modified food allergens. The first of its kind volume from the Indian subcontinent that caters to the needs of clinicians, aerobiologists, environmentalists, and regulatory agencies as well, the volume will be of immense interest for clinicians and patients of allergy as well as diagnostic and therapeutic management of allergy in tropics.

Respiratory allergy is constantly encountered and is sharply on the rise, particularly in the two most vulnerable age-groups: young children and seniors. Allergy results in airway hyperactivity and increased airway resistance, with all inflammatory sequelae being ensued. The chapters show how respiratory allergy research is interconnected with other disciplines by discussing neurotransmitter, membrane receptor, and ionic channel mechanisms of allergy and by giving diagnostic and pharmacological cues on desensitization and therapy.

Urticaria is one of the most common diseases in dermatology and allergy. Unlike many other diseases, the ? eeting nature of the wheals makes ? rst diagnosis by both patients and phy- cians in many cases easy. However, this only refers to the ordinary wheals. The disease itself is highly complex in nature, with variety of clinical manifestations ranging from pinpoi- sized wheals to extensive angiodema. Complexity is also seen in the diversity of possible eliciting factors, the many different clinical subtypes and the therapeutic responsiveness. Only in recent years has a better understanding of the diversity in the different subtypes led to new classi? cations and new evidence-based guidelines for diagnostics and mana- ment of the disease. While mast cells are in the center of most urticaria reactions, it is now clearly understood that the responsible mediators are not only limited to histamines. The current book appears in a series of books by Springer. In 1986, the ? rst monograph was edited by Professor Henz nee Chanewsky. Since then, two updates of the book have appeared in the German language with Professor Henz as ? rst editor and T. Zuberbier, J. Grabbe, and E. Monroe as the co-editors of the most recent English version, published in 1998. All these books have been written as a joint effort of Professor Henz together with her team at the Department of Dermatology at the Virchow Clinic, Humboldt University, Berlin.

Despite wide recognition as a serious public health problem, anaphylaxis and hypersensitivity reactions remain under-recognized and under-diagnosed. This book fills the gaps in our understanding of the identification of triggers, recognition of clinical presentations, understanding of the natural history of these reactions, and selection of treatment strategies including those focused on cellular and molecular targets. The book provides a detailed examination of disease etiology, pathogenesis, and pathophysiology and their correlation to clinical practice. Forefront knowledge of the mediators and mechanisms of anaphylaxis is covered with an emphasis on how new discoveries shape our current and emerging therapies.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH: Volume 2: Impact on Global Health covers the scientific aspects of the entire portfolio of NIAID, including microbiology and infectious disease, HIV/AIDS, and immunology and vaccines. All major diseases and the relevant immunology and vaccine development are described in detail. In addition, all major NIAID programs, initiatives, and clinical trials are discussed and illustrate the global involvement of NIAID in biomedical research and its impact on public health worldwide. By providing this information, the global scientific community will be able to access and benefit from these programs and initiatives.

In this updated third edition, expert physicians assemble user-friendly, clinically-oriented guides to aid in the day-to-day management of the allergic patient. With an emphasis on common allergic diseases and the pharmacological tools to control them, this book disseminates the practical knowledge that practitioners have accumulated through practice and teaching. Three new chapters focus on antihistamines, antileukotrienes, and children experiencing recurrent respiratory tract infections. This book is intended for the front-line physician who cares for allergic patients. It will help any physician improve the care offered to those patients.

Asthma sufferers number approximately 200 million worldwide, with 15-20 million of those in the United States. Multiple comorbid conditions occur with asthma, including rhinitis, rhinosinusitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, sleep apnea, vocal cord dysfunction syndrome, obesity, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Without identifying and caring for comorbid conditions, asthma cannot be treated appropriately. Comorbidity of allergic diseases emphasizes that we must understand more about why different organs in individuals express allergy and others do not. The increase in multiple allergies occurring in a single patient makes the global burden even more complex, and an integrated approach to diagnosis and new treatment strategies and preventative approaches are required. Asthma: Comorbidities, Coexisting Conditions, and Differential Diagnosis is the first volume to provide a centralized, a comprehensive clinical reference on the diagnosis and management of the comorbid conditions that affect asthma. Because comorbid conditions of asthma have not yet been included in international and national management guidelines, this volume will help fill a gap in current clinical knowledge, aiding physicians in delivering optimal patient care. Written and published in conjunction with the World Allergy Organization (WAO), this book consists of the latest research and reviews of current theory and practice, the most effective advances in the diagnosis and management of asthma and its co-morbidities, and insights into the fundamentals of asthma and its co-morbidities. It presents scientifically-based medicine for each comorbid condition as it relates to asthma.

During the last decade or so vaccine development has been facilitated by rapid ad- vances in the molecular and cell biology ofthe immune system. This has laid the foundations of a new generation of vaccines exemplified by subunit vaccines produced through gene cloning and by synthetic peptides mimicking small regions ofproteins on the outer coat ofvi- ruses. However, as subunit and peptide vaccines are only weakly or non-immunogenic, there is areal need for strategies to improve their potency. This book contains the proceedings of the 5th NATO Advanced Studies Institute (ASI), "Vaccine Design: The Role of Cytokine Networks," held at Cape Sounion Beach, Greece, during 24 June-5 July 1996 and deals in depth with the role ofbasic immunology in the regulation of immunity and vaccine design. Special emphasis is given to the use of cyto- kines in conjuction with vaccines with the aim ofimproving their potency or the use ofvac- cines designed to improve cytokine production. We express our appreciation to Dr. J.-L. Virelizier and Dr. G. Kollias for their cooperation in planning the ASI and to Mrs. Concha Perring for her excellent production ofthe manuscripts. The ASI was held under the sponsor- ship of NATO Scientific Affairs Division and generously co-sponsored by SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals (Philadelphia). Financial assistance was also provided by Connaught Laboratories Ltd. (Ontario), Pasteur Merieux (Marcy I 'Etoile), Biochine (Siena), Help SA (Athens), and Avanti Polar Lipids Inc. (Birmingham, USA).

Rapid progress in analytical methods, within the past few decades, has led to the widespread applications of newer immunological and radioimmunoassay techniques to the diagnosis and treatment of hemorrhagic and thrombotic disorders. Major advances were made to meet the multiple challenges of improving precision, accuracy, and availability of various measurements. These advances have been paralleled by the discoveries of a close relationship between biological activities and the absolute concentration of proteins that were measured by immunological techniques. This, in turn, assured the significance and usefulness of immunological methods in the management of patients. Numerous variants of immunological tests now are available, which allow us to both determine with precision minute quantities of antigenic proteins in serum and other biological fluids and differentiate the native protein from its genetically altered or degraded forms. Methods also have been designed to immunologically evaluate some serine proteases that are in complex with proteolytic inhibitors. Due to rapid progress in this field, different laboratories unavoidably become experts in one or the other approach. In the welter of possible choices, the non-expert usually is left to follow either the most recent but as yet to be confirmed method or his own anecdotal experience. This manual not only brought together various methods in current use, but it also set certain standardized criteria for the assessment of various deficiencies and abnormalities in hemostasis.

In the scientific aspects of immunology, the pace of advance has been almost overwhelming, but with some notable exceptions, clinical benefits have been slow. For those who are interested in allergy, the situation has been somewhat different. Here, the scientific aspects have lagged sadly behind other branches of immunology. There has, however, been a recent explosion of knowledge, which began with the discovery of immunoglobulin E, and a curious situation has come to light. The speculations of the older allergists, which had often been derided as mere inventions, now appear to be largely true. A number of 'preposterous' hypotheses have acquired the respectability that comes with scientific proof and the entire field is now full of excitement and challenge. It is no longer doubted that 'reaginic' antibody can sensitize cells that reside beneath the surface of the skin or mucous membranes. Skin prick tests with 'hair of the tail of the dog' have been legitimized by correlating them with the carefully validated results of radioallergosorbent tests. It has furthermore been shown beyond doubt that immunotherapy with increasing amounts of bee venom really can 'hyposensitize' patients who have previously suffered anaphylactic reactions to bee stings. This book has been published in the hope that, in the field of allergy, it will bridge the gap between basic science and the clinical application.

As a phylogenetically old system complement is now regarded as a part of innate immunity. But it is much more than that. It bridges innate and adapted immunity, participates not only in host defense but also in many essential physiological processes, old and new diseases and adverse conditions. Indeed, complement became a term that almost defies categorization. What was for a long time a subject for a limited number of specialists has now moved into the mainstream of experimental and clinical immunology. In 1973 I visited the Basel Institute of Immunology and met its director, the eminent scientist and Nobel laureate Nils Jerne. When I entered his office he greeted me with the following words: "Complement, does that really exist?" I was never certain whether he wanted only to tease me or whether he sincerely believed that the complement system was an unimportant biological curiosity, a misstep of evolution. But, of course, missteps do not survive the evolutionary process. Little did I foresee the dramatic developments of recent years when Hans J. Muller-Eberhard and I started to unravel the specifics of the action of the cobra venom factor on the complement system in 1968 and defined a new pathway to its activation. An elucidation of the role of the system in diseases and its control for therapeutic reasons is now getting closer to actual realization in the clinic although many problems, in particular those of highly specificinhibition free of side effects, have still to be resolved."

The increasing incidence and prevalence of allergic disease worldwide is one of the most remarkable phenomena of the past 50 years. One in three people in developed countries will experience an allergic condition at some point in their lives and advances in understanding the causes of this trend, and in allergy treatment and care, have captured the imagination of scientists, clinicians and the public. Landmark Papers in Allergy is a definitive collection of over 90 papers charting key discoveries and scientific advances in relation to allergy and the development of treatment and care for allergic disorders. Comprehensive in its coverage, the book includes the first clear descriptions of allergic diseases; the major advances in treatments, such as the discovery of antihistamines, cortisone, biological therapies and immunotherapy; the great immunological advances, such as the discovery of immunoglobulin E (IgE) and leukotrienes; the possible factors behind the increase in allergy, such as the house dust mite, changes in hygiene and diet; and the growing understanding of the social, psychological and quality-of-life consequences of allergy. Including authoritative commentaries from leading international experts providing reflections on the historical importance and current relevance of each landmark paper, Landmark papers in Allergy is essential reading for any clinician or academic with an interest in allergy.

Scientists may feel that there are too many meetings these days, and we tend to agree on this until it comes to our own field of interest. In our own areas we would like to hear about other people's achievements and learn whatever may be helpful in the search for answers to our own pet questions. Exchange of ideas, discussions, and critical evaluations are almost as essential to progress as the actual laboratory work. These were the major motives which initiated our own efforts, with the support of Dr. Earle H. Spaulding, the Chairman of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Temple University School of Medicine, to bring to gether for the first time specialists from various disciplines who are attempt ing to achieve the same thing, i. e., the clarification of the chemical and immunological nature of different cellular antigens. Instead of publishing the proceedings of the conference, it was decided that we would attempt to review achievements in the different subjects as well as report the latest developments from our own laboratories. Thus we hope to give scientists involved in this explosively growing field not only an up-to-date report, but also a useful source of relevant references. Despite these efforts and aspirations, we realize that this book is not a complete survey of all known cellular antigens. We tried to present major representations of the most important cell types."

Practical Patch Testing and Chemical Allergens in Contact Dermatitis covers the most relevant allergens in a concise and algorithmic fashion, with practical tips for patch testing. This book assists practitioners and trainees with educating patients on how to avoid their irritants and allergens to effectively manage contact dermatitis. Clinical pearls for patch testing of certain allergens are clearly outlined in this book to help providers avoid common pitfalls and reduce the risk of incorrect diagnoses, making it an essential reference for all involved in the treatment of contact dermatitis.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH: Volume III: Intramural Research contains a broad overview of the research activity of the NIAID intramural scientists working in the Division of Intramural Research (DIR) and the Vaccine Research Center (VRC), both in the Bethesda campus, and the Rocky Mountains Research Laboratories. Each of these laboratories employs scientists internationally recognized as leaders in their fields of biomedical research.

This volume focuses on individual research contributions by internationally known scientists doing research in the NIAID laboratories.

Although the mechanisms and triggers that stimulate and are responsible for the natural history ofasthma are steadily being more clearly defined, uncertainties still surround both the genetic basis and the etiologyofone of the most common syndromes in the world. In fact, it is ofconsider- able concern and interest that the incidence of asthma today appears to be rising. These statistical increments may only reflect an increasing awareness of the disease, or its earlier and more sophisticated diagnosis. More important, however, asthma mortality appears to be increasing. This increase has occurred despite the continuing expansion of a diag- nostic and management information base, and the developmentofnovel andevermoreeffective therapeutic modalities. Severalexplanations have been offered for this increase in mortality, including that it may result from a statistical artifact [based on a change in the coding criteria for asthma from the International ClassificationofDiseases Version 8(ICD- 8) to ICD-9], worsened pollution, delays in seeking medical help, behav- ioral changes, deficits in the asthma education of both patients and primary careproviders, toxicity ofbeta-agonists, and noncompliance with instructions for the proper use of medications. It should also be empha- sized that the increases in both incidence and mortality may be a reflec- tion of accumulating body burdens of environmental toxicants and of increased oxidativedamage. There has clearly beenadegradation ofenvi- ronmental quality. And although considerableattention has been focused on this possibility in both the scientific and lay press, more research in this area is definitely needed.