THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ALLERGIES Second Edition Myron A. Lipkowitz, R.P., M.D. Tova Navarra, B.A., R.N. The Encyclopedia of Allergies, Second Edition Copyright © 2001, 1994 by Myron A. Lipkowitz and Tova Navarra All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information contact: Facts On File, Inc. 11 Penn Plaza New York, NY 10001 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Lipkowitz, Myron A. Encyclopedia of allergies / Myron A. Lipkowitz, Tova Navarra.—2nd ed. p. cm.—(Library of health and living) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8160-4404-X (hc: alk. paper); ISBN 0-8160-4405-8 (pbk : alk. paper) 1. Allergy—Encyclopedias. I. Title: Allergies A–Z. II. Navarra, Tova. III. Title. IV. Series. RC585 .N38 2001 616.97’003—dc21 00-049490 Facts On File books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk quantities for businesses, associations, institutions or sales promotions. Please call our Special Sales Department in New York at (212) 967-8800 or (800) 322-8755. You can find Facts On File on the World Wide Web at http://www.factsonfile.com Text and cover design by Cathy Rincon Printed in the United States of America VB FOF 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 This book is printed on acid-free paper. CONTENTS List of Tables iv Acknowledgments viii Preface ix History of Allergy and Immunology x Entries A–Z 1 Appendix I: Pollens: Major Botanical Areas of the United States and Canada 289 Appendix II: Available Radioallergosorbent Tests (RAST) for Allergies 303 Appendix III: Professional Allergy Organizations 309 Appendix IV: Lay Allergy, Asthma, and Lung Organizations 311 Appendix V: Parameters for the Operation of Camps for Children with Asthma 313 Bibliography 319 Index 323 LIST OF TABLES Availability of Aerosol Asthma Medications 6 Local Anesthetic Drugs 25 Antihistamines: Uses and Side Effects 31 List of Drugs to Avoid in Aspirin-Sensitive Persons 34 Guidelines for Estimating the Severity of an Asthma Attack in Children by Nonmedical Individuals 37 Prevention of Asthma Attacks 43 Beta-agonists Available in the United States 55 Measures to Reduce Exposure to Cat Allergen 65 Cephalosporin Products Commonly Used in Allergic Patients 67 Inherited Errors of the Complement System 79 Patch Test Allergens Approved for Testing by the FDA 80 Most Frequently Used Sensitizing Preservatives in Cosmetics and Pharmaceuticals 81 Weekly Asthma Symptom and Peak Flow Diary 94 Frequent Causes of Type I Allergic Drug Reactions 97 Variations in Dyspnea 100 Normal Blood Eosinophil Counts 105 1996 U.S. Olympic Team, Summer Games in Atlanta, Georgia 109 Three Phases of Clinical Drug Studies in the United States 110 FDA–Approved Dyes 115 Fungal Diseases of the Lung or Skin That May Be Confused with Allergic Diseases 119 Grasses That Are a Cause of Hay Fever in the United States and Canada 125 Causes of Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis 141 Disorders Associated with Elevated Serum IgE Levels 150 Relationship of Immunoglobulin E (IgE) Levels to Diagnosis of Allergy 151 Radioallergosorbant Test (RAST) Levels 151 Indoor Allergy Control Measures 154 Persons for Whom Influenza Vaccine Is Generally Recommended 155 Eleven Criteria on Which the Diagnosis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Is Based 169 National Asthma and Allergy Poster Child Contest Rules 183 Past National Poster Children 183 Goals of the National Asthma Education Program 183 Occupational Exposures to Allergens in the Workplace 188 Allergens Known to Cause Occupational Asthma 189 Olympic Medals Won by Athletes with Exercise-induced Asthma 193 Ragweed Pollen Counts and Their Relationship to Hay Fever Symptoms 210 Trees Capable of Producing Significant Hay Fever Symptoms 210 General Treatment Principles of Asthma during Pregnancy 214 Preferred Drugs for the Treatment of Asthma during Pregnancy 214 Preferred Drugs for the Treatment of Allergy or Respiratory Infections Complicating Asthma during Pregnancy 215 Two Types of Building-associated Illness 237 Types of Cigarette Smoke 242 Effects of Smoking on the Fetus 243 The Most Common Foods That May Contain Sulfites 248 Guidelines for the Safe Use of Theophylline 253 Trees That Are a Cause of Hay Fever in the United States and Canada 258 Triggers Capable of Causing Symptoms in Susceptible Individuals 266 Weeds That Are a Cause of Hay Fever in the United States and Canada 277 I’ll miss Dr. Merle S. Scherr’s (1925–1993) humor, wisdom, friendship, and love. He will be missed most of all by the many patients and camp kids with asthma to whom he dedicated his life. Merle S. Scherr was an exemplary, inspiring physician. To the late Dr. Leonard M. Silber, my comrade during those first days of medical school in Guadalajara whose courage will never be forgotten. This book is also in memory of Kerry Nail. —M. A. L. I wish to dedicate this book to my aunt and godmother Dorothy L. Fox, R.N., M.S.N., Ed.S., for her outstanding career as a nursing instructor and her loving encouragement of all my professional endeavors throughout my life. —T. N. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS n the first and second editions of this book, surable. I was proud to introduce him to the pub- Iacknowledgments were given by both Dr. Myron lishing world; his hard work taught me a great deal A. (“Mickey”) Lipkowitz and me. I feel a new trib- about medicine. We were both mentor and student ute in memory of Mickey is in order for this third to each other. I like to think he is still with me in revision of our joint endeavor. He passed away spirit as I continue our work. suddenly in April 2000, only eight months after Gratitude and love go also to my daughter, losing his wife, Jill, to lung cancer. He leaves two Yolanda Fleming, for her tremendous help in children, three stepchildren and a grandson; his researching this revision. I would also like to thank brother, Dr. Kenneth Lipkowitz; other relatives; Deborah Johnson, R.Ph., of the Rumson Pharmacy, and a multitude of friends, fellow professionals and Rumson, N.J., for her professional input and inspi- patients, all of whom deeply suffer his loss. ration, and Martin Corbo, for providing research When I was a reporter for The Asbury Park Press, materials. I wrote about Mickey in various articles, and as the And, not to be forgotten, Mickey’s original author of an Arcadia Publishers history book on acknowledgments appeared thus: Howell, New Jersey, where he lived and practiced for nearly 30 years, I included him because he . brother and associate Dr. Kenneth P. Lipkowitz; opened the first family practice in that large and members, fellows, and staff of the American Col- mostly undeveloped area. Mickey’s success as a real lege of Allergy and Immunology, especially Dr. country doctor (who made house calls) evolved Joseph Bellanti, past president, and the American Academy of Allergy and Immunology; friends and with the township; his patients loved him, and fellow allergists Drs. Joseph Raffetto, whose exten- when I met him in the late 1970s after moving to sive allergy library proved invaluable, the late Howell, I knew he was the perfect choice as my Merle Scherr, Paul Lipschultz, Bruce DeCotiis, family’s physician and friend. Donald Leibner, Richard Podel, Richard Bukosky, Mickey also had a tremendous sympatico with and otolaryngologist Sigmund Sattenspiel; botanist his allergy patients, and he developed a life’s mis- Jim Thompson and Marvin Sattler and Janet Spina sion to help pregnant women with asthma. He of Hollister-Stier; Jeanne Schwoebel; Patricia served on distinguished national committees, Cooper and Julie Reynolds of Fisons, and Facts On wrote articles, participated in conferences and did File, Inc., for their unflagging encouragement and radio and print interviews on the subject of preg- enthusiasm for this volume. A very special thanks to Jill Lipkowitz . and to Christopher Campbell, nancy and asthma. The day he was buried, the last our computer expert. interview he gave—to USA Today—appeared on page one. My dear coauthor, your work will no doubt lead My loss of a stellar friend and coauthor, whose to new inspiration for allergy and asthma enthusiasm for writing books never wavered (we researchers. Your exemplary kindness always made wrote three books together, and he furnished a the world a better place. foreword for another of my books), as well as a physician who spoiled me with his care, is immea- Tova Navarra viii PREFACE n encyclopedia of allergies provides an in this book as an inadequacy of immune response, Aoverview of the field of allergy and many top- whereas hay fever and other allergic reactions rep- ics of general interest on an anomaly that emerges resent the immune system’s overreaction to a stim- in infinite forms all over the world, from an inno- ulus, which in some cases can be extreme. cent sneeze at the whiff of a minute troublemaker We have included as entries most of the tried- called pollen to a life-threatening swelling of air and-true medications that have been in use since passages at the mere taste of a peanut. That mil- ancient times when physicians recognized, albeit lions of people have experienced adverse effects of embryonically, that certain individuals suffered hypersensitivity, which often can be prevented, wheezing, watery eyes, rashes, and other symp- diminished, or controlled, made an encyclopedia of toms on contact with what we now call allergens or allergies in plain language a valuable project. antigens. To these we have added many of the Each entry provides an accessible explanation of modern allergy and asthma drugs, as well as alter- a topic; many topics that would otherwise require native treatments, even if they are controversial or intricate, scientific discussion have been condensed unproven despite some people’s insistence that for the sake of clarity and consistency of style.