The term “anaphylaxis” is composed by “a na”, meaning “not or contrary to” and “phylaxis”, meaning “protection”. Thus repeated exposure to a toxin may cause harm instead of prophylaxis or immunization. An anaphylactic reaction or anaphylaxis is an immediate type hypersensitivity reaction to a substance or drug, causing acute life-threatening symptoms in two or more organ systems. Immunoglobulin...

INTRODUCTION In recent years, more and more often the increase in incidence of allergies is observed. According to the WHO, they are getting the fourth position amongst the most frequent diseases after cancers, cardiovascular diseases and AIDS. Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening, systemic or generalised immediate hypersensitivity reaction. The analysis of the causes and the clinical pict...

A man with a history of pancreatitis was given aprotinin intravenously just before endoscopic retrograde pancreatography. Despite negative sensitivity tests with aprotinin eye drops he developed a profound anaphylactic reaction on intravenous administration of the drug. Ocular sensitivity tests may not predict severe anaphylactic reactions to intravenous aprotinin.

Pemetrexed is approved to treat non-small cell lung cancer and has an overall favorable toxicity profile. We describe a 58-year-old man who developped an anaphylactic shock within few minutes from the beginning of pemetrexed perfusion. Pemetrexed was discontinued and the patient's symptoms gradually resolved with administration of symptomatic treatment. Serum tryptase level remained normal and ...

Bidder's organ (BO, a vestigeal organ), present in toad Bufo melanostictus (Schenider), is a characteristic feature of all male bufo. Its possible anaphylactic properties are investigated on experimental animals. BO extract produced both in vivo and in vitro anaphylactic reaction in guineapig. Dyspnoea and bronchoconstriction was a major cause of anaphylactic death. Blood histamine level was si...

Background a 36-year-old woman, with a history of childhood asthma allergic to house dust mites, noticed one year prior to her arrival at our unit an episode of generalized itching, dyspnea, severe rhinoconjunctivitis and abdominal pain after eating rice with razor shell. After that, she had tolerated rice alone. Razor shell (Ensis ensis) is a common mollusc, which has an elongated fragile and ...