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About allergies
This booklet is destined to individuals suffering from different allergic
disorders hampering their everyday life. Unfortunately, the number of such individuals increases on daily basis.
What has led to such a situation? The answer to this question is hard to find
because there are numerous causes of allergies. Allergic reaction is an
inappropriate reaction to the factors from the immediate environment.
Since changes in the environment are becoming more aggressive and less
controllable, the number of possible allergic reactions is also on the rise.
Increased intake of drugs and changes in nutrition and the way of living have
further contributed there too.
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What is allergy
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Allergy is an uncommon and inappropriate reaction of our immune system on numerous surrounding factors. Allergy is manifested as the hypersensitive reaction to the factors from the environment known as antigens or allergens. Symptoms of an allergic reaction can be general (systematic) or localized to an organ or an organic system through which the allergen has entered into the body (skin and mucous membrane, digestive or respiratory system). Allergic reaction symptoms are extremely different from the point of view of velocity of their appearance and intensity. Sometimes localized and general symptoms develop so fast that they can jeopardize the life of the patient (anaphylactic shock).
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What is sensitization?
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Allergy is most frequently hereditary. In individuals with such family history, an allergic disease is manifested after a certain period necessary for the development of hypersensitivity to a given external factor. This process is called sensitization and is characterized by creation of antibodies in the body of the allergic individual that work against a given external factor (allergen).
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Are allergies hereditary?
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Allergy, i.e. the so-called atopic constitution (see the previous question), is hereditary. Congenital allergy, i.e. atopy, does not necessarily mean that the patient shall develop an allergy disease. Appearance of the disease in atopic person usually depends on the effect of the environment, e.g. long exposure to certain allergen, infection, etc. Appearance of an atopic disease is higher if both parents of the patient are atopic.
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What is antigen and antibody?
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 Antigen is any substance identified by the body as foreign and potentially harmful against which the body starts producing specific antibodies. Production of antibodies is a useful defense mechanism protecting us from harmful environmental factors, bacteria, viruses, etc. In case of allergic diseases, antigens are called allergens. Allergens are mostly proteins and numerous other substances stimulating production of antibodies, usually of IgE type. Thus, allergy must be regarded as an inappropriate or modified immune reaction to the substance from the environment. Hence, allergens are substances that the immune system in very small number of allergic patients identifies as foreign and harmful.
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What is the frequency of allergic diseases in Croatia?
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Allergic reactions are very frequent and almost each individual experiences certain allergy reaction during his/her lifetime. Allergic diseases connected to certain organic system are manifested in 5-10% of the general population. They are more frequent among young people, in developed countries, among people living in the cities and in well-off families. In Croatia, for example, allergic rhinitis effects 7-10% and asthma 3-5% of the general population ,the latter, however, effecting much more children and young people.
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What causes allergy? What can we be allergic to?
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The list of things one can be allergic to is prolific. Almost every substance from the environment can cause allergic reaction, but, fortunately, very few ever do. The most frequent allergenic products are dust mites, pets (food content, fur content or glandular secretion content), air-borne pollen, food (clams, crabs, peanuts, etc.), drugs, preservatives, food and beverage additives, insect venom, etc., some of whom are more frequently responsible for allergies than the others.
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What are the types of allergic diseases?
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 Allergic diseases most frequently include: allergic diseases of the respiratory system (allergic rhinitis, asthma, allergic alveolitis), allergic conjunctivitis, allergic skin diseases, (urticaria, atopic and contact dermatitis), allergic diseases of the digestive system, allergic reactions to drugs and anaphylactic reactions, especially hypersensitivity to insect venom. Some of them appear simultaneously in the individual or appearance of one type precedes appearance of another.
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What is atopy?
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Atopic diseases are allergic diseases the emergence of which is linked to IgE antibodies. This primarily includes asthma, allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis, and some allergic diseases of the digestive system. Atopic dermatitis, though implying atopy, is not necessarily caused by mechanisms mediated by IgE antibodies. Atopic person is the individual with hereditary IgE antibody production that increases the risk of the aforementioned diseases.
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How schools handle food allergy?
A survey of nurses in elementary and middle schools in the U.S. found that food allergy action plans for students with food allergies are used inconsistently.
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