Allergic Skin Disease Flashcards
What is an allergy?
Condition characterised by a hypersensitivity response to allergens
* Common cause of pruritus in small animals
Common triggers of allergy
Environmental allergens
Foods
Ectoparasites
Contact allergens
Micro-organisms (malassezia)
Drugs
Environmental allergen conditions
Environmental atopic dermatitis - dog
Feline atopic skin syndrome (FASS)
Equine atopic dermatitis
Food allergen conditions
Food-induced atopic dermatitis (FIAD) – dog
Feline food allergy (FFA) - cat
Equine food allergy
Ectoparasite allergen conditions
Flea allergic dermatitis
Insect bite hypersensitivity
Mite hypersensitivity
What is a hypersensitivity reaction?
Exaggerated immune system response to an antigen
Type I
Immediate
* Cross-linking of IgE molecules on mast cell surface by allergen
* Degranulation of mast cells
* Tissue inflammation
Type II
Antibody mediated cytotoxicity
* Destruction of target cell by effects of antibody and complement pathway
Type III
Imune-complex
* Antibody-antigen complexes
* Form locally in tissue when antibody in excess
* Circulate systemically if antigen in excess
Type IV
Delayed
* Cell mediated
* Sensitised mononuclear inflammatory cells release proinflammatory cytokines
What type of hypersensitivity is most common in allergic disease?
Type I - IgE
Causes mast cell degranulation
What is required fro allergic reaction?
Sensitisation of individual by repeated exposure to allergen
Subsequent exposure
* Immunologically excessive response
* Clinical disease
Environmental atopy dermatitis
Type I hypersensitivity involved in most cases
Acute lesions
* Lymphocytes classically follow Th2 pathway
* Produce IgE
Chronic lesions
* More complex pattern with Th1, Th2 and other T-cell responses
Causes of environmental atopic dermatitis
Aberrations in skin barrier
Dysregulation of microbiome
Mechanism of Sensitisation Phase
- Allergen crosses skin barrier
- Picked up by Langerhans cell
- Presented to T-helper cell
- Immunological response directed down Th2 route
- B cell produce IgE which is allergen specific
- Binds to mast cell ready for next exposure