Current Allergy and Asthma Reports 

About: Current Allergy and Asthma Reports is an academic journal published by Springer Science+Business Media. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Allergy & Asthma. It has an ISSN identifier of 1529-7322. Over the lifetime, 1583 publications have been published receiving 46574 citations. The journal is also known as: Curr Allergy Asthma Rep.

Role of “Western Diet” in Inflammatory Autoimmune Diseases

Abstract: Developed societies, although having successfully reduced the burden of infectious disease, constitute an environment where metabolic, cardiovascular, and autoimmune diseases thrive. Living in westernized countries has not fundamentally changed the genetic basis on which these diseases emerge, but has strong impact on lifestyle and pathogen exposure. In particular, nutritional patterns collectively termed the “Western diet”, including high-fat and cholesterol, high-protein, high-sugar, and excess salt intake, as well as frequent consumption of processed and ‘fast foods’, promote obesity, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease. These factors have also gained high interest as possible promoters of autoimmune diseases. Underlying metabolic and immunologic mechanisms are currently being intensively explored. This review discusses the current knowledge relative to the association of “Western diet” with autoimmunity, and highlights the role of T cells as central players linking dietary influences to autoimmune pathology.

Mechanisms Driving Gender Differences in Asthma

Abstract: Many phenotypes of asthma exist, ranging from mild asthma with onset during childhood to severe asthma with later onset, making asthma a broad disease with different pathologies. A gender disparity exists in asthma prevalence. As adults, women have an increased asthma prevalence compared to men. Further, women are more likely to have severe asthma and a later onset of asthma compared to men. Here, we review clinical and animal studies that have defined the role of sex hormones in airway inflammation, smooth muscle contraction, mucus production, and airway mechanics associated with asthma pathogenesis. Clinical evidence shows that increased asthma symptoms occur in females starting at puberty compared to those in boys. However, after puberty, the role for sex hormones in regulating asthma symptoms during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause is not as clear. Animal studies have shown that estrogen increases and testosterone decreases Th2-mediated airway inflammation, and that females have increased IL-17A-mediated airway inflammation compared to males. Further, females had increased DC and Mϕ function compared to males. However, the mechanisms driving the types of allergic inflammation are not fully elucidated. Overall, ovarian hormones increased and testosterone decreased airway inflammation in asthma, but the mechanisms remain unclear. Delineating these pathways using animal models as well as women and men with various phenotypes of asthma will help determine if women with asthma should take (or avoid) hormonal contraceptives as well as predict changes in asthma symptoms during life phases, including pregnancy and menopause, when sex hormones are dramatically changing.

Asthma is Different in Women

Abstract: Gender differences in asthma incidence, prevalence and severity have been reported worldwide. After puberty, asthma becomes more prevalent and severe in women, and is highest in women with early menarche or with multiple gestations, suggesting a role for sex hormones in asthma genesis. However, the impact of sex hormones on the pathophysiology of asthma is confounded by and difficult to differentiate from age, obesity, atopy, and other gender associated environmental exposures. There are also gender discrepancies in the perception of asthma symptoms. Understanding gender differences in asthma is important to provide effective education and personalized management plans for asthmatics across the lifecourse.

Penicillin and Beta-Lactam Allergy: Epidemiology and Diagnosis

Abstract: Penicillin is the most common beta-lactam antibiotic allergy and the most common drug class allergy, reported in about 8 % of individuals using health care in the USA. Only about 1 % of individuals using health care in the USA have a cephalosporin allergy noted in their medical record, and other specific non-penicillin, non-cephalosporin beta-lactam allergies are even rarer. Most reported penicillin allergy is not associated with clinically significant IgE-mediated reactions after penicillin rechallenge. Un-verified penicillin allergy is a significant and growing public health problem. Clinically significant IgE-mediated penicillin allergy can be safely confirmed or refuted using skin testing with penicilloyl-poly-lysine and native penicillin G and, if skin test is negative, an oral amoxicillin challenge. Acute tolerance of an oral therapeutic dose of a penicillin class antibiotic is the current gold standard test for a lack of clinically significant IgE-mediated penicillin allergy. Cephalosporins and other non-penicillin beta-lactams are widely, safely, and appropriately used in individuals, even with confirmed penicillin allergy. There is little, if any, clinically significant immunologic cross-reactivity between penicillins and other beta-lactams. Routine cephalosporin skin testing should be restricted to research settings. It is rarely needed clinically to safely manage patients and has unclear predictive value at this time. The use of alternative cephalosporins, with different side chains, is acceptable in the setting of a specific cephalosporin allergy. Carbapenems and monobactams are also safely used in individuals with confirmed penicillin allergy. A certain predictable, but low, rate of adverse reactions will occur with all beta-lactam antibiotic use both pre- and post-beta-lactam allergy evaluations.

Structural biology of allergens.

Abstract: Major allergens may have special aerobiological properties and allergenic structures. It would also be instructive to consider the properties of nonallergens and nonallergenic responses. In some cases, nonallergenic responses appear to result from a lack of antigenicity and in others from regulation. Proteolytic activity has been proposed as an adjuvant for allergenicity, but lipid binding is far more common and is found for more than 50% of the major allergens. Such structures can enhance allergenicity via Toll-like receptor (TLR) or CD1 pathways. TLR signaling can enhance both Th1 and Th2 responses and be induced by peptides as well as nonproteinaceous ligands.