Hypersensitivity Flashcards
What is hypersensitivity?
A state of altered reactivity in which the body reacts with an exaggerated immune response to a foreign agent
What is an allergen?
An antigen that causes allergy
What is type 1 hypersensitivity?
An allergy
Is intolerance different to allergy?
yes as there is no immunological reaction
Why is type 1 hypersensitivity sometimes called ‘immediate hypersensitivity’?
As it occurs rapidly in response to an allergen
What is type 1 hypersensitivity mediated by?
IgE
What is meant by the term ‘atopy’?
When an individual has a genetic predisposition for allergy
Type 1 hypersensitivity can lead to anaphylaxis. What is this?
An acute, serious allergic response
What are examples of inhaled materials that can cause an allergic reaction?
- Plant pollens
- Dander off of animals
What are examples of injected materials that can case an allergic reaction?
- Insect venoms
- Drugs
What are examples of ingested materials that can cause an allergic reaction?
- Food
- Orally administered drugs
What are examples of contacted materials that can cause an allergic reaction?
- Plant leaves
- Metals
What are haptens?
- Small molecules, which when combined with a larger molecule such as a carrier protein, can elicit the production of antibodies that can elicit an immune response
- Some drugs can act as haptens and induce antibody-mediated allergic reactions
What does IgE do?
- IgE producing B cells are activated during sensitisation (first exposure)
- IgE binds to Fc receptor on mast cells or CD63 on basophils
- IgE recognises allergen and next exposure binds rapidly causes immediate degranulation (elicitation)
What are examples of cutaneous (skin) atopy - wheal & flare?
- Urticaria (itchy rash)
- Allergic rhinitis (hay fever)
- Atopic dermatitis (allergic eczema)
- Asthma (lower respiratory tract)
- Food allergies (i.e. proven immunological response - not intolerance)
What is systemic anaphylaxis?
- Anaphylactic shock (mast cells degranulate all over the body)
- Three potential fatal reactions:
- Laryngeal oedema - suffocation
- Bronchiole constriction - Suffocation
- Peripheral oedema - Fluid loss from blood vessels causes hypotension (abnormally low blood pressure) and heart attack