Allergy
Encyclopedia of Science, The, October, 2005 by Jordan P. Richman
An allergy is an excessive or hypersensitive response of the immune system . The allergic reaction becomes manifest as a pathological immune reaction induced either by antibodies (immediate hypersensitivity) or by lymphoid cells (delayed type allergy). Instead of fighting off a disease-causing foreign substance, the immune system launches a complex series of actions against an irritating substance, referred to as an allergen. The symptoms of an immediate hypersensitivity begin shortly after contact and decay rapidly, while the delayed type symptoms do not reach their maximum for 24–48 hours and decline slowly over a period of days or weeks. An allergic reaction may be accompanied by a number of stressful symptoms, ranging from mild to severe to life threatening. In rare cases, an...
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