Early Origins of Asthma and Allergies: Clues From Studies in China.

Asthma and allergies have emerged as some of the most common chronic diseases, particularly in developed countries. Epidemiological studies have consistently demonstrated that children growing up in farming/rural environments are less likely to develop these conditions. Over the past three decades, China has experienced unprecedented economic development and urbanisation, accompanied by a rapid rise in the prevalence of allergic disorders.

Biosafety and immunology: An interdisciplinary field for health priority.

Biosafety hazards can trigger a host immune response after infection, invasion, or contact with the host. Whether infection with a microorganism results in disease or biosafety concerns depends to a large extent on the immune status of the population. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the immunological characteristics of the host and the mechanisms of biological threats and agents to protect the host more effectively.

Genetic Diversity and Geographic Spread of Henipaviruses.

Henipaviruses, such as Hendra and Nipah viruses, are major zoonotic pathogens that cause encephalitis and respiratory infections in humans and animals. The recent emergence of Langya virus in China highlights the need to understand henipavirus host diversity and geographic spread to prevent future outbreaks. Our analysis of the National Center for Biotechnology Information Virus and VIRION databases revealed ≈1,117 henipavirus sequences and 142 complete genomes.

Molecular Epidemiology of Dengue Viruses in Lao People's Democratic Republic, 2020-2023.

Dengue fever is a widespread mosquito-borne viral disease caused by infections with dengue virus (DENV). Since its initial detection in 1979, the disease has posed a significant public health threat to the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). Surveillance is crucial for understanding the circulation of DENV in endemic regions and identifying potential hot spots with higher-than-expected case numbers of dengue fever.

Asthma Risk Prevalence and Associated Factors in Stunted Children: A Study Using Asthma Predictive Index.

: The prevalence of stunted children under 5 years in Indonesia is relatively high. Stunting is a significant risk factor for wheezing disorders. The asthma predictive index (API) identifies children with a recurrent wheezing disorder at risk of developing asthma during the first 3 years.

The Relationship Between Dietary Patterns and the Epidemiology of Food Allergy.

Food allergies are increasing globally, particularly in Asia; however, the etiologies of allergic diseases remain poorly understood despite comprehensive studies conducted across a variety of populations. Epidemiological research demonstrates that food allergy is more prevalent in Westernized or urbanized societies than in rural or developing ones. As such, comparing the distribution and patterns of food allergies as well as the environmental exposures between regions may provide insight into potential causal and protective factors of food allergy.

Self-amplifying mRNA vaccines protect elderly BALB/c mice against a lethal respiratory syncytial virus infection.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) represents a significant threat, being a primary cause of critical lower respiratory tract infections and fatalities among infants and the elderly worldwide, and poses a challenge to global public health. This urgent public health challenge necessitates the swift development of safe and effective vaccines capable of eliciting robust immune responses at low doses. Addressing this need, our study investigated five self-amplifying mRNA (sa-mRNA) candidate vaccines that encode the various pre-fusion conformations of the RSV fusion protein.

Food Allergy in Children in China.

The prevalence of food allergies in China seems to be increasing, but there are limited studies describing the pattern of food allergies across the country. This review highlights regional variations observed across China, with data indicating a higher prevalence in the more economically developed eastern and southern coastal regions compared to inland areas. Egg and milk are the most common allergies among children under 3 years old; for children above 3 years old, specific food allergens also show regional differences, with shellfish allergies being more common in southern and eastern coastal areas, while wheat and fruit allergies are more prevalent in northern regions.

Differential prevalence and risk factors for infection with coronaviruses in bats collected from Yunnan Province, China.

Coronaviruses (CoVs) pose a threat to human health globally, as highlighted by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and the COVID-19 pandemic. Bats from the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) are an important natural reservoir for CoVs. Here we report the differential prevalence of CoVs in bats within Yunnan Province across biological and ecological variables.

Global change, climate change, and asthma in children: Direct and indirect effects - A WAO Pediatric Asthma Committee Report.

The twenty-first century has seen a fundamental shift in disease epidemiology with anthropogenic environmental change emerging as the likely dominant factor affecting the distribution and severity of current and future human disease. This is especially true of allergic diseases and asthma with their intimate relationship with the natural environment. Climate change-related variables including increased ambient temperature, heat waves, extreme weather events, air pollution, and rainfall distribution, all can affect asthma in children, but each of these variables also affects asthma via alterations in pollen production and release, outdoor allergen exposure or the microbiome.

Asian birth cohort studies on allergic diseases: The A2BC network initiative.

The Asia Allergy Birth Cohort (A2BC) network consolidates data from multiple independently established birth cohorts across Asia to enhance research on host-environment interactions in allergic diseases. These cohorts, established at different times with various methodologies, are reliable data sources. Our aim is to introduce the content, variables, and outcomes of these cohorts while highlighting their differences, laying the groundwork for future collaborative research.

World Allergy Organization (WAO) Diagnosis and Rationale for Action against Cow's Milk Allergy (DRACMA) guideline update - XI - Milk supplement/replacement formulas for infants and toddlers with CMA - Systematic review.

Background: Cow's milk allergy (CMA) is the most complex and common food allergy in infants. Elimination of cow's milk from the diet and replacement with a specialized formula for infants with cow's milk allergy who cannot be breastfed is an established approach to minimize the risk of severe allergic reactions while avoiding nutritional deficiencies. Given the availability of multiple options, such as extensively hydrolyzed cow's milk-based formula (eHF-CM), aminoacid formula (AAF), hydrolyzed rice formula (HRF), and soy formula (SF), there is some uncertainty regarding which formula might represent the most suitable choice with respect to health outcomes.

Allergic and hypersensitivity condition in the International Patients' Summary (IPS) standard: The need of updates through the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-11.

In 2010, the United States Human and Health Services (US HHS) and the European Union's (EU) Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology signed a memorandum of understanding to stimulate cooperation surrounding health-related information communications technology. The key project that emerged from this agreement is the (IPS), intended to provide succinct clinically relevant patient summaries, which are generalizable and condition-independent, that can be readily used by all clinicians for the care of patients. Although allergies are included in the main information required by the IPS library and framework, it is misrepresented which leads to underdiagnosis or misdiagnosis of patients suffering from allergic and hypersensitivity conditions (A/H).

Viromes of arthropod parasites and their hosts: The case of bats and bat ectoparasites.

Blood feeding ectoparasites of bats have been found to contain insect-specific and vertebrate-infecting viruses of agricultural and medical importance. While it is plausible that some of these are of bat origin, those would be sourced either from the bat exterior or their blood meal. Bats, in addition to their regular diets, consume numerous ectoparasites during grooming.

Food allergy in a changing dietary landscape: A focus on the Asia Pacific region.

Recent studies have provided compelling evidence to suggest that various environmental factors play a significant role in the development of food allergies. As our society experiences rapid economic growth, increased urbanization, and a shift towards a more Westernized diet, the incidence of food allergies is also on the rise and the pattern is gradually evolving. This review will delve into the changes in the epidemiology of food allergies within the Asia-Pacific region and the various dietary practices and factors that are postulated to play a role in the rise in food allergies over the years.

Effects of N-acetylcysteine on hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis C.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection significantly contributes to global hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence. N-Acetylcysteine (NAC), known for its antioxidant properties, is a potential therapeutic agent. However, evidence on its efficacy in reducing HCC risk among HCV patients is limited.

Food allergies around the world.

The increase in the prevalence of food allergy has been considered as the second wave in the allergy epidemic following the first wave of increase in asthma and allergic rhinitis. It is well known that the prevalence of allergic conditions would follow economic development and urbanization in many countries or regions. In developed countries, one in three children suffered from at least one allergic disorder and these conditions include food allergy, eczema, allergic rhinitis and asthma.

Pediatric asthma comorbidities: Global impact and unmet needs.

Real-world data on the range and impact of comorbid health conditions that affect pediatric asthma are scant, especially from developing countries. Lack of data hinders effective diagnosis, treatment, and overall management of these complex cases. We, hereby, describe the common pediatric asthma comorbid conditions in terms of evidence for association, potential mechanisms of impact on asthma control, and treatment benefit.

World Allergy Organization (WAO) Diagnosis and Rationale for Action against Cow's Milk Allergy (DRACMA) guideline update - XII - Recommendations on milk formula supplements with and without probiotics for infants and toddlers with CMA.

Background: Cow's milk allergy (CMA) is the most common food allergy in infants. The replacement with specialized formulas is an established clinical approach to ensure adequate growth and minimize the risk of severe allergic reactions when breastfeeding is not possible. Still, given the availability of multiple options, such as extensively hydrolyzed cow's milk protein formula (eHF-CM), amino acid formula (AAF), hydrolyzed rice formula (HRF) and soy formulas (SF), there is some uncertainty as to the most suitable choice with respect to health outcomes.

Recommendations for asthma monitoring in children: A PeARL document endorsed by APAPARI, EAACI, INTERASMA, REG, and WAO.

Monitoring is a major component of asthma management in children. Regular monitoring allows for diagnosis confirmation, treatment optimization, and natural history review. Numerous factors that may affect disease activity and patient well-being need to be monitored: response and adherence to treatment, disease control, disease progression, comorbidities, quality of life, medication side-effects, allergen and irritant exposures, diet and more.

Ebola-specific therapeutic antibodies from lab to clinic: The example of ZMapp.

In the 1990s, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) progressed from scientific tools to advanced therapeutics, particularly for the treatment of cancers and autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. In the arena of infectious disease, the inauguration of mAbs as a post-exposure treatment in humans against Ebola virus (EBOV) occurred in response to the 2013-2016 West Africa outbreak. This review recounts the history of a candidate mAb treatment, ZMapp, beginning with its emergency use in the 2013-2016 outbreak and advancing to randomized controlled trials into the 2018-2020 African outbreak.