[Cross allergy between penicillins and other beta lactam antibiotics--the risk is much less than previously thought].

Severe IgE-mediated allergic reactions to penicillins are rare but might be fatal. Because some studies demonstrated a high risk of cross-sensitivity to cephalosporins and carbapenems it has been recommended to avoid these antibiotics in patients with suspected hypersensitivity to penicillins. However, recent studies and analyses conclude that the risk of cross-reactivity was overestimated in the earlier studies and that it is in fact very low for parenteral cephalosporins and perhaps even negligible for carbapenems.

Does allergen-specific immunotherapy induce contact allergy to aluminium?

Persistent, itching nodules have been reported to appear at the injection site after allergen-specific immuno-therapy with aluminium-precipitated antigen extract, occasionally in conjunction with contact allergy to aluminium. This study aimed to quantify the development of contact allergy to aluminium during allergen-specific immunotherapy. A randomized, controlled, single-blind multicentre study of children and adults entering allergen-specific immunotherapy was performed using questionnaires and patch-testing.

Icatibant, a new bradykinin-receptor antagonist, in hereditary angioedema.

Background: Hereditary angioedema is characterized by recurrent attacks of angioedema of the skin, larynx, and gastrointestinal tract. Bradykinin is the key mediator of symptoms. Icatibant is a selective bradykinin B2 receptor antagonist.

Ancient recruitment by chromists of green algal genes encoding enzymes for carotenoid biosynthesis.

Chromist algae (stramenopiles, cryptophytes, and haptophytes) are major contributors to marine primary productivity. These eukaryotes acquired their plastid via secondary endosymbiosis, whereby an early-diverging red alga was engulfed by a protist and the plastid was retained and its associated nuclear-encoded genes were transferred to the host genome. Current data suggest, however, that chromists are paraphyletic; therefore, it remains unclear whether their plastids trace back to a single secondary endosymbiosis or, alternatively, this organelle has resulted from multiple independent events in the different chromist lineages.

The establishment and utility of Sweha-Reg: a Swedish population-based registry to understand hereditary angioedema.

Background: The importance of acquiring comprehensive epidemiological and clinical data on hereditary angioedema has increasingly caught the attention of physicians and scientists around the world. The development of networks and creation of comprehensive policies to improve care of people suffering from rare diseases, such as hereditary angioedema, is a stated top priority of the European Union. Hereditary angioedema is a rare disease, that it may be life-threatening.

Influence of the Priming Effect with Alder Pollen on Nonspecific Bronchial Hyperreactivity of Asthmatics Specifically Allergic to Birch Pollen.

It has been shown that bronchial hyperreactivity in asthmatics specifically allergic to birch pollen is stable during the preseasonal and postseasonal periods and increases during the birch pollen season. Between January and March 1989, warm weather in the southern part of Sweden led to an early emission of hazel and alder pollens. Fourteen asthmatic patients living there were followed and demonstrated an increased nonspecific bronchial hyperreactivity (decreased PC20 methacholine) before the birch pollen season due to a 'priming effect' of related tree pollens.