World Allergy Day has been celebrated annually on July 8, since 2005, by decision of the World Allergy Organization (WAO) and the World Immunopathology Organization (WIPO). Its goal is – to inform the general public about the symptoms and measures to prevent this disease.
Allergy – is a state of increased sensitivity of the body to the effects of certain environmental factors – allergens, which develops upon repeated exposure to these substances. They can be: dust (street, home or book), animal hair, plant pollen, medicines, food products (most often: eggs, milk, wheat, soybeans, seafood, nuts, fruits), household chemicals, insect bites, mold, latex, animals and their waste products, etc.
The concept of «allergy» appeared in medical terminology in 1906, and its authorship is attributed to the Austrian pediatrician Clemens Von Pirke (German). Clemens Peter Freiherr von Pirquet, 1874–1929). But this problem itself has an older history. As early as ancient Egyptian times, symptoms were described that are currently viewed as clinical manifestations of allergies. However, medicine began to study this disease only in the 19th century – during the period of intensive development of industry, or rather the associated environmental pollution, and only understood the nature of this phenomenon by the end of the 20th century. And the more the ecological balance in the world was disrupted, the greater the scale of allergies…
Currently, allergies are one of the most common diseases in the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 40% of the world's population suffers from allergies, and an increase in allergic diseases is observed among both adults and children. Moreover, in megacities, from 30 to 60% of the population is susceptible to this disease. And this figure is constantly increasing. But it is also scary that allergies are the cause of a number of chronic diseases (for example, bronchial asthma), which acquire a serious medical, social and economic problem.
Among the factors contributing to the development of this disease, the most common are: environmental pollution, psychological overload, climate change, low-quality food products, uncontrolled use of medications. But the main causes of any allergy are inherent in the genetic basis of humans – we inherit genes that are responsible for a predisposition to allergic reactions. Most often, allergies begin to appear at an early age with increased sensitivity to food.
There are several types of allergic reactions depending on which organ or group of organs it occurs in (respiratory, skin or ophthalmological), and there are also different types of allergies depending on its cause. Forms of allergic reactions are varied – they manifest themselves in the form of severe irritation of the mucous membranes, skin rashes, swelling or eczema, prolonged runny nose or cough, spastic breathing, general malaise and other symptoms. If any allergy symptoms appear, you should consult a therapist or allergist.
If you know that you have an allergy or predisposition to it, try to follow certain rules to avoid complications. The main one is – to avoid contact with allergens, since allergies have the property of – to provoke more and more severe reactions to repeated contact with the allergen.
Unfortunately, most people often take this disease too lightly. And many do not even realize that they are sick, attributing the symptoms of allergies to other diseases. Insufficient awareness and knowledge of this problem, not only among the population, but also among health workers, leads to incorrect and untimely treatment, and causes the development of serious, sometimes life-threatening complications.
WHO predicts that the 21st century will be the century of allergies. Therefore, the initiative to hold today’s international date should make a significant contribution to the dissemination of knowledge about this disease among the widest segments of the population, demonstrate the seriousness of this unpleasant disease, and the need for preventive and therapeutic diagnostic measures.
• Infographics – poster «8 July — World Allergy Day»
• Article «Allergy – immunity with prejudice»