A Modern Understanding of Allergies: From Ancient Records to Today’s Challenges

Abstract

This review article traces the scientific understanding of allergies from ancient records to present-day challenges. It notes that asthma symptoms were described in ancient China, Rome, Egypt and Greece, and follows the development of allergy science through John Bostock's 1819 description of hay fever, Charles Harrison Blackley's identification of pollen as its trigger, the first skin test in 1869, Clemens von Pirquet's coining of the term 'allergy' in 1906 and the emergence of immunotherapy by 1914. Later milestones described include antihistamines in the 1930s, corticosteroids in 1948, the identification of mast cells in the 1950s, the discovery of IgE antibodies in 1963, blood tests for IgE, the EpiPen and research on leukotrienes. The article defines allergic diseases, such as hay fever, food allergies, atopic dermatitis, allergic asthma and anaphylaxis, as hypersensitive immune reactions to otherwise harmless substances, distinguishes them from food intolerance and food poisoning, and outlines common triggers, the roles of genetic predisposition and environmental factors, the IgE-mediated release of histamine and other chemicals from mast cells and basophils, and symptoms affecting the nose, eyes, airways, skin and digestive system. It observes that allergies are the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the United States and that, despite advances in immunotherapy and symptom management, a definitive cure remains elusive.

Abstract prepared by the editorial office from the full text of the article; the authors did not supply one.