Infection Control Today Magazine

Allergies

Gut Flora Affects Maturation of B Cells in Infants

Infants whose gut is colonized by E. coli bacteria early in life have a higher number of memory B cells in their blood, reveals a study of infants carried out at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. The bacteria in our gut outnumber the cells in ...More
3 weeks ago
Posted in News
Exposure to Common Environmental Bacteria May be Source of Some Allergic Inflammation

New research published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology suggests that certain strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa cause white blood cells to produce high levels of histamine, which worsens the severity of inflammation and infection. Could some cases of asthma actually be ...More
January 31, 2012
Posted in News
Dirt Prevents Allergy, Research Shows

If infants encounter a wide range of bacteria they are less at risk of developing allergic disease later in life. This is the conclusion of research from the University of Copenhagen, which suggests completely new factors in many modern lifestyle diseases. Oversensitivity ...More
November 2, 2011
Posted in News, Infections & Pathogens
Asthma Linked to Bacterial Communities in the Airway

Asthma may have a surprising relationship with the composition of the species of bacteria that inhabit bronchial airways, a finding that could suggest new treatment or even potential cures for the common inflammatory disease, according to a new UCSF-led study. Using new ...More
February 17, 2011
Posted in News
Influenza Vaccines May Vary in Amount of Allergenic Components

People with egg or gelatin allergies shouldn’t assume that just because they’ve had a flu shot safely in the past they will be able to again, according to a new study, presented by Amber M. Patterson, MD, from Ohio State University and Nationwide Children's Hospital in ...More
November 13, 2010
Posted in News
Egg Allergy Not a Reason to Avoid Flu Vaccine After All

Having an egg allergy is not a reason to avoid getting the 2010-2011 flu vaccination. According to new recommendations from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, anyone with a history of suspected egg allergy should first be evaluated by an allergist or ...More
October 18, 2010
Posted in News
Allergies Blamed on Excessive Cleanliness

Allergies have become a widespread in developed countries: hay fever, eczema, hives and asthma are all increasingly prevalent. The reason? Excessive cleanliness is to blame according to Dr. Guy Delespesse, a professor at the Université de Montréal Faculty of ...More
April 13, 2010
Posted in News
Researchers Identify Immune Cells That Fight Parasites May Promote Allergies and Asthma

Millions of people in both the developing and developed world may benefit from new immune-system research findings from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. The Penn Vet researchers, studying how the immune system operates, have discovered a ...More
March 11, 2010
Posted in News
Surface Bacteria Maintain Skin's Healthy Balance

On the skin's surface, bacteria are abundant, diverse and constant, but inflammation is undesirable. Research at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine now shows that the normal bacteria living on the skin surface trigger a pathway that prevents ...More
November 23, 2009
Posted in News