Cellular and Molecular Targets in Allergy and Clinical Immunology

The prevalence of allergies, asthma, and related allergic diseases has dramatically increased in recent decades. It is no longer true that only developed countries are affected - these diseases are now placing an enormous strain on the health resources in many developing countries around the world. At the same time, there has been rapid progress in translating molecular science into diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Even with these tremendous developments, large gaps still remain in the way that allergists practice medicine in the office. One of the aims of the Collegium Internationale Allergologicum's biennial symposium and of this book is to bridge this ever-widening gap. Every two years, 200 of the world's leading allergists gather for an intimate and friendly symposium organized by the Collegium Internationale Allergologicum to discuss cutting-edge results of allergy research and future therapeutic options. This volume collects a series of excellent papers presented there, covering topics such as gene-environment interaction, T cell regulation, basic mechanisms of effector cell function, mast cells, psychoneuroallergology, asthma, food allergy, eczema, drug reactions, diagnostics and the latest progress in pharmacotherapy, as well as nonspecific and specific immunotherapy.