Original broadcast date: June 7, 2009 It may not be for the squeamish but in our hygiene-centric universe, the thought of parasites contributing to human health seems foreign and for some, repulsive. Recent research presents interesting biological mechanisms within this host-parasite relationship that can regulate or influence our immune system. In the April 22, 2009 [...]

Lice on mice Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Original broadcast date: May 31, 2009 How sensitive and specific are blood tests for food allergies? Are children’s diets being overly restricted on the basis of these tests? A study abstract published in the February 2009 edition of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology sought to answer these questions. Dr. David Fleischer, M.D.,  Division [...]

Blood allergy testing and false positives Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The investigation and research into the pathophysiology of Crohn’s disease, an autoimmune condition wherein the body’s own immune system attacks the gastrointestinal tract, has produced some hypotheses with respect to a possible mechanism that triggers the disease. An article published in the journal Medical Hypotheses, looked at the link between a specific bacterial strain and [...]

Link between bacteria and Crohn's disease hypothesized Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Ever since Dr. Barry Marshall from the University of Western Australia ingested the bacterium H. Pylori to prove that they were the cause of gastric ulcers for which was awarded the Nobel prize for Medicine in 2005, it seems that not all these bacteria are created equal in terms of their cancer-causing potential. Researchers from [...]

How some bacteria protect themselves from our immune system Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Researchers from University College London have gained a new understanding of how changes in the immune system can foreshadow the expression of Huntington’s disease by 16 years. The research on this fatal neurodegenerative disease was published online in the Journal of Experimental Medicine and shed some light on possible therapies that would target the immune [...]

Immune system changes foreshadow Huntington's disease Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Original broadcast date: January 13, 2008 Why do some people suffer a severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis while others do not when both are exposed to the same allergen? From a clinical standpoint, anaphylaxis can be difficult to diagnose because it is highly variable in its presentation and its signs and symptoms overlap with life-threatening [...]

Same exposure, different allergic reactions Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Last November, the story of Quebec teen, Christina Desforges, made headlines around the world when reports suggested that she had died after kissing her boyfriend who had eaten peanut butter earlier that day. Desforges, who was peanut allergic, was also asthmatic. Her friends were unaware of her food allergy and that she carried an EpiPen. [...]

New allergy treatment guidelines proposed Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Every year, usually during the flu shot season, questions arise about the need for vaccination especially of healthy young people. People question whether it reduces the risk of infection and its complications. What seems to be lost in the discussion is the health effects of the flu on specific age groups, in particular young children.

A study, entitled “The Underrecognized Burden of Influenza in Young Children.” Published in the July 6, 2006 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine looked at this very issue and presented compelling data. To discuss influenza virus and the results of the study I pleased to introduce

• Dr. Katherine Poehling, M.D., M.P.H. Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Division of General Pediatrics Pediatric Acute Care Clinic (PACC) at Monroe Carrell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.

The Underrecognized Burden of Influenza in Young Children Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Researchers at Manchester’s Faculty of Life Sciences, in conjunction with St George’s, University of London, are developing drugs designed to stop allergens from entering the body, which will render them harmless and stop the suffering. The head of the research team is Professor David Garrod and he says the research takes a completely new approach [...]

Neutralizing allergens before they enter the body Play Now | Play in Popup | Download