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Also known as: allergenic disease, hypersensitivity
Last Updated: • Article History
allergy
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Category: Science & Tech
Key People:
Charles Richet
Related Topics:
food allergy
angioedema
farmer’s lung
drug allergy
atopy
On the Web:
Drugs.com - Allergy (Apr. 05, 2024)
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Recent News

Mar. 22, 2024, 6:08 AM ET (AP)
Allergy season arrived early in US. Here's how to keep pollen from ruining your spring

allergy, hypersensitivity reaction by the body to foreign substances (antigens) that in similar amounts and circumstances are harmless within the bodies of other people. Antigens that provoke an allergic reaction are called allergens. Typical allergens include pollens, drugs, lints, bacteria, foods, and dyes or chemicals. The immune system contains several mechanisms that normally protect the body against antigens. Prominent among these are the lymphocytes, cells that are specialized to react to specific antigens. There are two kinds of lymphocytes—B cells and T cells. B cells produce antibodies, which are proteins that bind to and destroy or neutralize antigens. T cells ...(100 of 545 words)

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