More than 50 million Americans, one out of five, suffer from hay fever, asthma, and other allergic diseases. Many of these conditions are caused by exposure to allergens in indoor environments such as the house, work, and schoolâ€"where we spend as much as 98 percent of our time. Developed by medical, public health, and engineering professionals working together, this unique volume summarizes what is known about indoor allergens, how they affect human health, the magnitude of their effect on various populations, and how they can be controlled. The book addresses controversies, recommends research directions, and suggests how to assist and educate allergy patients, as well as professionals. Indoor Allergens presents a wealth of information about common indoor allergens and their varying effects, from significant hay fever to life-threatening asthma. The volume discusses sources of allergens, from fungi and dust mites to allergenic chemicals, plants, and animals, and examines practical measures for their control. Indoor Allergens discusses how the human airway and immune system respond to inhaled allergens and assesses patient testing methods, covering the importance of the patient's medical history and outlining procedures and approaches to interpretation for skin tests, in vitro diagnostic tests, and tests of patients' pulmonary function. This comprehensive and practical volume will be important to allergists and other health care providers; public health professionals; specialists in building design, construction, and maintenance; faculty and students in public health; and interested allergy patients.

Conservatively, at least 100 million people are affected by house dust mite allergy worldwide, manifesting itself as asthma, rhinitis or atopic dermatitis. Despite the growing recognition of this major public health problem, and commitment of considerable research resources, there is still no simple, effective, generally-applicable strategy for dust mite control. The reasons for this are complex, but a contributing factor remains some important knowledge gaps and misconceptions regarding aspects of biology and ecology of dust mites. The purpose of this book is to provide a comprehensive reference work for all readers with an involvement or interest in house dust mite research and management, incorporating for the first time in a single volume the topics of systematics and identification, physiology, ecology, allergen biochemistry and molecular biology, epidemiology, mite control and allergen avoidance. It is hoped the book will help spread the message that studies of the biology and ecology of house dust mites should be regarded within the context of allergic disease rather than as ends in themselves, and that approaches to mite control in clinical management are subject to the same series of ecological rules as any other major problem in pest management.

This best-selling resource has a worldwide reputation as the leader in its field. Focusing on human immunology and biology, while also reporting on scientific experimentation and advancement, it provides comprehensive coverage of state-of-the-art basic science as well as authoritative guidance on the practical aspects of day-to-day diagnosis and management. This new edition includes 700 full-color illustrations and a new, more accessible format to make finding information a snap for the busy practitioner. And this Expert Consult Edition offers online access to the complete contents of the 2-volume set, fully searchable, and much more. Includes a glossary of allergy and immunology for quick and easy reference. Contains keypoints and clinical pearls highlighted to find important information quickly. links to useful online resources both for you and for your patients. Offers contributions from hundreds of international authorities for world-class expertise in overcoming any clinical challenge.

Eosinophils in Health and Disease provides immunology researchers and students with a comprehensive overview of current thought and cutting-edge eosinophil research, providing chapters on basic science, disease-specific issues, therapeutics, models for study and areas of emerging importance.

The purpose of this book is to share information and knowledge on allergic disorders in children with everybody, especially parents. Allergies in children are a common and growing problem. From the author's experience, many parents lack correct information on allergy. This has led to wrong approaches in dealing with the problem, with some parents experimenting with all kinds of non-scientifically proven testing and treatments. Sometimes these treatments can be harmful for the child. The book comprises twelve chapters, each covering a specific aspect of allergy in children. The first part covers general issues, such as underlying mechanisms, allergens, and epidemiology of allergic diseases. In the second part, specific allergic diseases are covered. The book ends with considerations on diagnosis and treatment, and offers suggestions for future research on allergy in children. This book will provide useful information to the public, especially parents of allergic children. Based on current scientific information, the book should help allergic children to obtain optimal diagnosis and treatment of their allergic diseases.

The prevalence of allergic diseases has increased dramatically over recent decades, both in terms of the number of sufferers and the number of allergies. This is a trend that has frequently been referred to as 'the epidemic of the 21st century'. As described in ancient texts, allergies have been known for over 2,000 years, but the term 'allergy' was only coined at the beginning of the 20th century when doctors began to understand their pathophysiological basis. This book presents a detailed and varied historical overview of the field of allergology. Beginning with insights on allergy from antiquity to the 20th century and the development of the associated terminology, it compiles historical reflections on the understanding of the most common allergic diseases. Important milestones in the discovery of mechanisms of allergy are described, followed by historical accounts of the detection of allergens such as pollen, dust mites, peanuts and latex, and of environmental influences such as pollution and the relationship between farmers and their environment. Several chapters illustrate the progress made in allergy management to date. Particular highlights of this book are the personal reflections of and interviews with a number of pioneers of allergy, including F. Austen, J. Bienenstock, K. Blaser, A. de Weck, A.W. Frankland, K. Ishizaka, and many more. Concluding with portrayals of allergy societies and collections, as well as being supplemented by two films, this book represents a veritable treasure trove of fascinating and richly illustrated information. Not only researchers, physicians and medical historians, but also students and even non-scientists will find History of Allergy a scientific adventure well worth reading.

The Janeway's Immunobiology CD-ROM, Immunobiology Interactive, is included with each book, and can be purchased separately. It contains animations and videos with voiceover narration, as well as the figures from the text for presentation purposes.