An expert panel sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, has issued comprehensive U.S. guidelines to assist health care professionals in diagnosing food allergy and managing the care of people with the disease. Check the end of this report for links to download the complete and summary guidelines for healthcare professionals. ...

A recent PhD study shows that there is no link between mold-spore concentrations in the indoor air and development of asthma and allergy among children. Many studies around the world have concluded that moisture-related problems in buildings increase the risk of health effects, such as respiratory symptoms, asthma, and allergy in both adults and children. However, there is only limited knowledge on which ag ...

The use of chemicals in our everyday lives entails increased risks of allergies in children, according to a study at Karlstad University in Sweden. The prevalence of propylene glycol and glycol ethers (PGEs) in bedroom air is associated with asthma, hay fever, and eczema, but also with antibodies against common allergens in children. The study shows a risk increase of up to 180 percent. Check the end of thi ...

Nearly 40 percent of chronic rhinosinusitis diagnoses are linked to secondhand smoke, according to a Henry Ford Health System study. Researchers found that people are at increased risk for developing rhinosinusitis from exposure to secondhand smoke at home and public places like bars and restaurants, but that the risk is even higher at work and at private social settings. ...

During pregnancy, stress can have detrimental effects on both mother and child. Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) and Harvard Medical School have now found that stress during pregnancy may raise the risk of asthma in offspring. This study is published online in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine on March 18, 2010. ...

In a new contribution to the field of psychoneuroimmunology, researchers at Ohio State University report that stress and anxiety worsen allergy attacks, even to routine allergens. Anxiety impacts not only the severity of the response, but also causes a "carry over" effect whereby allergies linger into a second day. The researchers also explore the connections between allergies and asthma. ...