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Current Allergy & Clinical Immunology

Current Allergy and Clinical Immunology is the official journal of the Allergy Society of South Africa and is produced as a service to understanding and communication in the field of allergy.
Publisher | Allergy Society of South Africa (ALLSA) |
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Frequency | Quarterly |
Coverage | Volume 18 Issue 2 2005 - current |
Accreditation(s) |
Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) |
Language | English |
Journal Status | Active |
Collection(s) |
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Dr Spur’s mystery case of an isolated IgA deficiency
Welcome to Dr Spur’s Immunology Clinic Referral letter...
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ABC of allergy
Dr Do-a-lot asks her students if they know what antibodies are. She receives a variety of responses, from ‘Immunoglobulins’ to ‘The good guys that protect our bodies from the bad guys.’ She asks them to return in a week with a summary.
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AI and machine learning in medicine : ethical considerations
Artificial intelligence (AI) is having an impact in Medicine and will increasingly influence clinical practice in years to come. With the increase in computer processing power over the past 10-15 years we are able to process and store vast amounts of data more rapidly than was possible only a few years ago. Some have referred to the impact of the technology as the fourth industrial revolution.
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Work-related asthma and exposure to cleaning agents in healthcare settings – a review of the literature
Health workers are exposed to a wide range of chemicals used for cleaning and disinfection. This trend has been largely attributed to the ever-increasing demand for effective cleaning and disinfection in hospital settings in an effort to prevent healthcare-associated infections. This review summarises recent findings on the association between workrelated asthma and exposure to cleaning agents in healthcare settings. The review found an increasing body of evidence linking cleaning agents to adverse work-related health effects such as rhinitis, asthma and contact dermatitis. There is, however, little information on the specific cleaning agents and tasks associated with various asthma-related outcomes. In addition, few studies have conducted quantitative exposure assessments for cleaning agents in the healthcare setting. Furthermore, limited information exists regarding exposure-response relationships between the frequency of exposure to specific cleaning agents and asthma–related outcomes. There is a need for larger prospective studies in health workers exposed to cleaning agents using various clinical, physiological and inflammatory markers in order to characterise further the asthma phenotypes and the risk factors (environmental, individual) associated with these outcomes in these workers. A specific focus on and understanding of work-related dermatitis associated with such agents and its relationship to the adverse respiratory outcomes also deserves further study.
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Impact of climate change on Aeroallergenic Pollen metrics : a hemispheric perspective
The recognition and documentation of climatic change effects on human health remains one of the most important challenges of the 21st century. While myriad in scope, one of the most recognised impacts is related to pollen, specifically its production, release and duration, and the consequences for allergic diseases, including asthma and allergic rhinitis. At present, the bulk of efforts to understand and document these links have been conducted by scientists in the Northern Hemisphere. However, the link between climate change and aeroallergenic pollen is global and international in scope. For this reason, more recent efforts to provide similar evaluations have been initiated by scientists in the Southern Hemisphere. The current review acknowledges northern enquiries, but also emphasises research gaps and inconsistencies which should be avoided by southern investigators. To remedy these deficiencies, some suggestions are offered, including a greater emphasis on plant demographics, the standardisation of pollen metrics, automation and environmental integration. It is hoped that this perspective will be able to provide support to efforts of scientists in the Southern Hemisphere to evaluate better climate shifts and aeroallergen consequences. Overall, there is a clear and pressing need to understand these likely changes while simultaneously comprehending their impact on pollen-related health outcomes – for both hemispheres.
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Plant dermatitis due to indigenous Smodingium Argutum
Smodingium argutum is an indigenous tree in the family Anacardiaceae. It is considered to be the most common cause of plant contact dermatitis in South Africa. Four children were seen with a characteristic ‘poison-ivy type’ rash caused by contact with this tree. In each child the cause of the rash and the nature, duration and distribution of the rash were virtually identical. The natural distribution of Smodingium argutum in South Africa and its recognition as an important cause of plant dermatitis are presented. The allergenic component found in the leaves and sap of the Smodingium argutum tree has been identified as a C17-catechol, related to the Urushiol found in American poison ivy.
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© Publisher: Allergy Society of South Africa (ALLSA)

© Publisher: Allergy Society of South Africa (ALLSA)