Publications by authors named "Karla E Adams"

Knowledge of the military regulations is key to guiding medical evaluations for applicants and service members. Military and civilian allergy consultants are often called on for their expertise to provide guidance with regard to the allergic conditions that may be potentially disqualifying from service per the published regulations for accession and retention. This review focuses on the role of the allergy consultant in military accession, retention, and deployments.

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Stinging ants represent a wide range of over 200 different species across the world, of which Solenopsis, Myrmecia, Pogonomyrmex, and Brachyponera genera account for a substantial economic and healthcare burden. S. invicta (red imported fire ant [IFA]) and M.

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Article Synopsis
  • Garlic is a common spice that can cause rare IgE-mediated allergies, with alliin lyase being the main allergen and showing heat sensitivity, allowing some people to eat cooked garlic without issues.
  • The study involved two patients: one reacted to both raw and cooked garlic, while the other reacted only to raw garlic.
  • The research confirmed that heat degrades most garlic proteins, with cooked garlic being safer for some allergic individuals, but noted exceptions in patient reactions, highlighting the need for more research.
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Timely diagnosis of systemic mastocytosis (SM) remains challenging because of care heterogeneity. We implemented a standardized approach for SM screening and diagnosis using a novel health care system-wide international screening registry. A retrospective analysis assessed rates of SM, cutaneous mastocytosis (CM), and molecular diagnoses before and 2 years after care standardization.

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Medical evaluation for military applicants is an intricate process that requires an understanding of the terminology, standards, and guidelines. Allergy providers are often called to provide medical evaluations for patients who desire to join the military services. Without understanding the complexities and nuances of military medical evaluations, a provider may delay or not be able to assist their patient in obtaining the desired goal of joining the services.

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We present a case of a 37 year old man with a history of human immunodeficiency virus, latent syphilis, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder. attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, multiple drug intolerance syndrome who presented with concerns of recurrent episodes of rash and respiratory symptoms with questionable "anaphylaxis" episodes without clear etiology or known trigger. To evaluate some of the potential causes of recurrent anaphylaxis in our patient.

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Purpose Of Review: Venom immunotherapy has been utilized to treat Hymenoptera venom allergy since the 1920s. Over the last century, significant advances in the fields of immunology and genetics have led to improvements in the practice of venom immunotherapy. This review encompasses recent advances in the use of venom immunotherapy to provide precise, patient-centered care.

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Article Synopsis
  • Imported fire ant (IFA) immunotherapy (IT) is a recommended treatment for IFA allergies, lasting 3 to 5 years, and is considered safe and effective.
  • A study conducted from 2007 to 2014 tracked 87 patients with IFA allergy to assess their long-term adherence to IT, finding that while 89% began treatment, only 23% stuck with it for the recommended 3 years, and just 13% completed 5 years.
  • Factors influencing adherence included the severity of initial reactions, the treatment protocol, and whether patients were undergoing additional allergy treatments; common reasons for dropping out were moving to nonendemic areas and convenience issues.
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Hymenoptera stinging insects are common culprits for allergic reactions. Anaphylaxis to insect stings can be life threatening and is associated with a significant risk of recurrence. Insect allergy requires referral to an allergist/immunologist for education and for diagnostic evaluation that will direct further management and treatment.

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From its emergence and declaration as a worldwide pandemic, coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with significant medical and logistical challenges. Initial obstacles ranged from the need to develop testing platforms to the determination of effective treatments to decrease the significant morbidity and mortality associated with the disease. Due to significant scientific breakthroughs, the most recent pressing challenge has been the distribution of vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 to prevent the spread of the infection across the world.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study analyzes patient differences between those allergic to imported fire ants (IFA) and flying hymenoptera (FH) over several years, finding no significant differences in demographics or asthma prevalence.
  • - Despite similarities in how patients presented, the study highlights that epinephrine use was suboptimal in treating anaphylactic reactions, with only 37% of anaphylaxis cases receiving it in the emergency department.
  • - Most patients (85%) confirmed as sensitized to hymenoptera chose to pursue venom immunotherapy (VIT), indicating a strong willingness for life-saving treatment after their allergy diagnosis.
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Treatment of imported fire ant (IFA) hypersensitivity includes avoidance and venom immunotherapy (VIT) that reduces the risk of reactions to less than 5%. Previous studies have shown that rush immunotherapy (RIT) is safe and efficacious. It is unknown if multiple RIT procedures on individuals with breaks in VIT are safe and effective.

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The objective of this article is to review the available studies regarding asthma and SCUBA (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) diving. A literature search was conducted in MEDLINE to identify peer-reviewed articles related to asthma and SCUBA diving using the following keywords: asthma, allergy, and SCUBA diving. SCUBA diving is a popular sport with more than 9 million divers in the USA.

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