Quality of life in allergic rhinitis patients treated with intralymphatic immunotherapy (ILIT): A 19-year follow-up.

Background: In 2002-2005, we conducted a phase I/II clinical trial where a new allergy immunotherapy (AIT) route was introduced: intralymphatic immunotherapy (ILIT). Ultrasound guidance allowed injection of allergen directly into inguinal lymph nodes. Grass pollen-allergic patients received 3 injections with 1-month intervals.

Intralymphatic Immunotherapy (ILIT) With Bee Venom Allergens: A Clinical Proof-of-Concept Study and the Very First ILIT in Humans.

Background: Subcutaneous venom immunotherapy (VIT) represents an effective treatment against bee venom allergy. However, it involves long treatment times, high costs, and the risk of adverse events (AEs). Shorter, safer, and cheaper treatment options are therefore pursued.

COVID-19 epidemic in Switzerland: on the importance of testing, contact tracing and isolation.

Switzerland is among the countries with the highest number of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) cases per capita in the world. There are likely many people with undetected SARS-CoV-2 infection because testing efforts are currently not detecting all infected people, including some with clinical disease compatible with COVID-19. Testing on its own will not stop the spread of SARS-CoV-2.

Immunization of Cats against Fel d 1 Results in Reduced Allergic Symptoms of Owners.

An innovative approach was tested to treat cat allergy in humans by vaccinating cats with Fel-CuMV (HypoCat), a vaccine against the major cat allergen Fel d 1 based on virus-like particles derived from cucumber mosaic virus (CuMV-VLPs). Upon vaccination, cats develop neutralizing antibodies against the allergen Fel d 1, which reduces the level of reactive allergen, thus lowering the symptoms or even preventing allergic reactions in humans. The combined methodological field study included ten cat-allergic participants who lived together with their cats ( = 13), that were immunized with Fel-CuMV.

Legal and ethical framework for global health information and biospecimen exchange - an international perspective.

Background: The progress of electronic health technologies and biobanks holds enormous promise for efficient research. Evidence shows that studies based on sharing and secondary use of data/samples have the potential to significantly advance medical knowledge. However, sharing of such resources for international collaboration is hampered by the lack of clarity about ethical and legal requirements for transfer of data and samples across international borders.