| desensitization, allergy | Stimulation of the immune system with gradually increasing doses of the substances to which a person is allergic, the aim being to modify or stop the allergy war (by reducing the strength of the IgE and its effect on the mast cells). This form of treatment is very effective for allergies to pollen, mites, cats, and especially stinging insects (e.g., bees, hornets, yellowjackets, wasps, velvet ants, fire ants). Allergy immunotherapy usually takes 6 months to a year to become effective and shots (injections) are usually required for 3-5 years. (12 Dec 1998) |
|---|---|
| drug allergy | Sensitivity (hypersensitivity) to a drug or other chemical. (05 Mar 2000) |
| immediate allergy | A type I allergic reaction; so called because in a sensitised subject the reaction becomes evident usually within minutes after contact with the allergen (antigen), reaches its peak within an hour or so, then rapidly recedes. See: immediate reaction, anaphylaxis. Compare: delayed allergy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| immunotherapy, allergy | Stimulation of the immune system with gradually increasing doses of the substances to which a person is allergic, the aim being to modify or stop the allergy war (by reducing the strength of the IgE and its effect on the mast cells). This form of treatment is very effective for allergies to pollen, mites, cats, and especially stinging insects (e.g., bees, hornets, yellow jackets, wasps, velvet ants, fire ants). Allergy immunotherapy usually takes 6 months to a year to become effective and shots (injections) are usually required for 3-5 years. (12 Dec 1998) |
| insulin allergy | When a person's body has an allergic or bad reaction to taking insulin made from pork or beef or from bacteria, or because the insulin is not exactly the same as human insulin or because it has impurities. The allergy can be of two forms. Sometimes an area of skin becomes red and itchy around the place where the insulin is injected. This is called a local allergy. In another form, a person's whole body can have a bad reaction. This is called a systemic allergy. The person can have hives or red patches all over the body or may feel changes in the heart rate and in the rate of breathing. A doctor may treat this allergy by prescribing purified insulins or by desensitisation. See: desensitisation. (09 Oct 1997) |
| test, skin, for allergy | A test done on the skin to identify the allergy substance (allergen) triggering the allergic reaction. A small amount of the suspected allergy substance is placed on the skin. The skin is then gently scratched through the small drop with a special sterile needle. If the skin reddens and, more importantly, swells, then allergy to that substance is probable. (12 Dec 1998) |
| latent allergy | Allergy that causes no signs or symptoms but can be revealed by means of certain immunologic tests with specific allergens. (05 Mar 2000) |
| agonal infection | An acute infection, commonly pneumonic or septic, occurring toward the end of any disease and often the cause of death. Synonym: agonal infection. (05 Mar 2000) |
| airborne infection | A mechanism of transmission of an infectious agent by particles, dust, or droplet nuclei suspended in the air. (05 Mar 2000) |
| apical infection | Implantation of microorganisms at the apex of a tooth, usually the result of the migration of microorganisms from the pulp canal through the apical foramen. (05 Mar 2000) |
| arbovirus infection | <virology> A type of viral infection that is transmitted by mosquitoes in late spring to early autumn. One manifestation is encephalitis (central nervous system infection). (27 Sep 1997) |
| ascariasis infection | <microbiology> Infection by the nematode Ascaris lumbricoides and is characterised by an early pulmonary phase related to larval migration and a later, prolonged intestinal phase. Adult worms are 15-40 cm in length and maintain themselves in the lumen of the small intestine. Infection occurs after ingesting eggs contained in contaminated food or more commonly, by transmission to the mouth by the hands after contact with contaminated soil. Treatment is with mebendazole or pyrantel pamoate. (27 Sep 1997) |
| atypical mycobacterial infection | <microbiology> Infection with organisms from the Mycobacterium genus other than tuberculosis. Risk factors include immunocompromised patients and those with AIDS. Mycobacterium avium intracellulare is an example which frequently infects AIDS patients. Atypical mycobacterial infections can cause abscesses, septic arthritis and osteomyelitis. Treatment can be difficult due to the emergence of resistance to standard antitubercular antibiotics. (27 Sep 1997) |
| bacterial infection | <microbiology> Bacteria are group of micro-organisms that are a single cell approximately 1 micron in transverse diameter. Some bacteria cause disease in man, requiring treatment with an antibiotic. (27 Sep 1997) |
| bladder infection | Some people are at more risk for bladder and other urinary tract infections (UTIs) than others. One woman in five develops a UTI during her lifetime. Not everyone with a UTI has symptoms. Common symptoms include a frequent urge to urinate and a painful, burning when urinating. Underlying conditions that impair the normal urinary flow can lead to more complicated UTIs. (12 Dec 1998) |