TY  - JOUR
AB  - The climate crisis poses a major challenge to human health as well as the healthcare system and threatens to jeopardize the medical progress made in recent decades. However, addressing climate change may also be the greatest opportunity for global health in the 21st century. The climate crisis and its consequences, such as rising temperatures, forest fires, floods, droughts, and changes in the quality and quantity of food and water, directly and indirectly affect human physical and mental health. More intense and frequent heat waves and declining air quality have been shown to increase all-cause mortality, especially among the most vulnerable. Climate warming alters existing ecosystems and favors biological invasions by species that better tolerate heat and drought. Pathogen profiles are changing, and the transmission and spread of vector-borne diseases are increasing. The spread of neophytes in Europe, such as ragweed, is creating new pollen sources that increase allergen exposure for allergy sufferers. In addition, the overall milder weather, especially in combination with air pollution and increased CO2 levels, is changing the production and allergenicity of pollen. The phenomenon of thunderstorm asthma is also occurring more frequently. In view of the increasing prevalence of allergic diseases due to climate change, early causal immunomodulatory therapy is therefore all the more important. During a climate consultation, patients can receive individual advice on climate adaptation and resilience and the benefits of CO2 reduction-for their own and the planet's health. Almost 5% of all greenhouse gas emissions in Europe come from the healthcare sector. It thus has a central responsibility for a climate-neutral and sustainable transformation.
AU  - Luschkova, D.*
AU  - Traidl-Hoffmann, C.
AU  - Ludwig, A.*
C1  - 65437
C2  - 52681
SP  - 114-120
TI  - Climate change and allergies.
JO  - Allergo J. Int.
VL  - 31
IS  - 4
PY  - 2022
SN  - 2197-0378
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Background: A comprehensive diagnostic work-up is essential to ensure adequate patient management for the potentially life-threatening condition of Hymenoptera venom allergy (HVA). This includes an unambiguous identification of the allergy-relevant venom as prerequisite for successful venom-specific immunotherapy (VIT). If the clinical history does not allow the identification of the culprit insect, diagnosis is often hampered by positive test results to various venoms. Modern component-resolved diagnostics (CRD) applying marker allergens of Hymenoptera venoms has created new opportunities which facilitate therapeutic decisions and may allow personalized risk stratification for individual patients. Methods: Comprehensive literature search and critical analysis of recently published studies on Hymenoptera venom allergens and CRD. Results and discussion: Changing the research focus from whole venom extracts to individual allergenic molecules led to the development of CRD in HVA. The currently available CRD is a valuable tool to resolve cross-reactivity and primary sensitization, particularly in honeybee and vespid venom allergy. Hence, CRD has simplified therapeutic decisions in case of multiple positive test results, especially in patients who were not able to identify the culprit insect or in cases of discrepancies between clinical history and classical diagnostic results. Moreover, there is first evidence that sensitization to particular allergens might serve as biomarkers to predict risk for severe side-effects during VIT or even for VIT failure. To date, a clear limitation of CRD is the currently available allergen panel which does not allow a definite resolution of allergy to different vespid species such as yellow jackets and European paper wasps.
AU  - Blank, S.
AU  - Bilò, M.B.*
AU  - Grosch, J.
AU  - Schmidt-Weber, C.B.
AU  - Ollert, M.*
AU  - Jakob, T.*
C1  - 60577
C2  - 49412
SP  - 26–38
TI  - Marker allergens in Hymenoptera venom allergy — characteristics and potential use in precision medicine.
JO  - Allergo J. Int.
VL  - 30
PY  - 2021
SN  - 2197-0378
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Affiliation and disclaimer have been misrepresented and are hereby corrected: Vera Mahler: Affiliation: Med. Faculty, Friedrich-Alexander-University (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this review are the personal views of the author and may not be understood or quoted as being made on behalf of or reflecting the position of the respective national competent authorities, the EuropeanMedicines Agency, or one of its committees or working parties.One conflict of interest has been misrepresented and is hereby corrected: Oliver Pfaar.
AU  - Klimek, L.*
AU  - Bachert, C.*
AU  - Pfaar, O.*
AU  - Becker, S.*
AU  - Bieber, T.*
AU  - Brehler, R.*
AU  - Buhl, R.*
AU  - Casper, I.*
AU  - Chaker, A.
AU  - Czech, W.*
AU  - Fischer, J.*
AU  - Fuchs, T.*
AU  - Gerstlauer, M.*
AU  - Hörmann, K.*
AU  - Jakob, T.*
AU  - Jung, K.*
AU  - Kopp, M.V.*
AU  - Mahler, V.*
AU  - Merk, H.*
AU  - Mülleneisen, N.*
AU  - Nemat, K.*
AU  - Rabe, U.*
AU  - Ring, J.*
AU  - Saloga, J.*
AU  - Schlenter, W.*
AU  - Schmidt-Weber, C.B.
AU  - Seyfarth, H.*
AU  - Sperl, A.*
AU  - Spindler, T.*
AU  - Staubach, P.*
AU  - Strieth, S.*
AU  - Treudler, R.*
AU  - Vogelberg, C.*
AU  - Wallrafen, A.*
AU  - Wehrmann, W.*
AU  - Wrede, H.*
AU  - Zuberbier, T.*
AU  - Bedbrook, A.*
AU  - Canonica, G.W.*
AU  - Cardona, V.*
AU  - Casale, T.B.*
AU  - Czarlewski, W.*
AU  - Fokkens, W.J.*
AU  - Hamelmann, E.*
AU  - Hellings, P.W.*
AU  - Jutel, M.*
AU  - Larenas-Linnemann, D.*
AU  - Mullol, J.*
AU  - Papadopoulos, N.G.*
AU  - Toppila-Salmi, S.*
AU  - Werfel, T.*
AU  - Bousquet, J.*
C1  - 58349
C2  - 48120
TI  - Correction to “ARIA guideline 2019: Treatment of allergic rhinitis in the German health system” (Allergo Journal International, (2019), 28, 7, (255-276), 10.1007/s40629-019-00110-9).
JO  - Allergo J. Int.
PY  - 2020
SN  - 2197-0378
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) continues to increase in incidence and is the most common allergic disease. If abstention of the allergen triggering substances is not possible, allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) as causal treatment or a drug therapy with mast cell stabilizers, antihistamines (AHs), glucocorticoids (GCs), leukotriene (LT) receptor antagonists and decongestants is indicated. Despite these diverse therapeutic options, studies on the real-life care situation of patients with AR regularly show that a considerable proportion of patients do not feel adequately treated with monotherapy of the usual drugs and therefore use several preparations with different active ingredients simultaneously and in various combinations. However, such parallel applications of several active ingredients are normally not tested in approval studies and therefore carry a potential risk of side effects or lack of efficacy. Methods: For the present publication, a focused literature search in PubMed, Livivo and on the World Wide Web for the previous 20 years (period 01/1999 to 01/2020) was carried out. This literature search included original and review articles in German or English. A further analysis of current publications was also conducted for German-language journals that are not available in international literature databases. Results: AHs and nasal GCs represent the therapeutic standard in AR. Their efficacy is well documented for several preparations. The evidence for combination therapies is documented very well for a fixed combination of azelastine and fluticasone (MP29-02). For the simultaneous use of non-fixed combined monopreparations, only a few efficacy and safety studies based on modern evidence criteria exist. Conclusion: The free combination therapies of mast cell stabilizers, decongestants, AHs and nasal GCs, frequently used in the routine care of patients with AR, cannot be recommended because they are not evidence-based. Due to the fact that over-the-counter antiallergic drugs are not reimbursable in Germany, there is no medical supervision of the therapy. In addition, there are doubts about appropriate treatment, especially of patients with persistent rhinitis with severe symptoms, as these patients often use several preparations at the same time to alleviate their symptoms.
AU  - Klimek, L.*
AU  - Wehrmann, W.*
AU  - Bergmann, K.-C.*
AU  - Biedermann, T.
AU  - Hellings, P.*
AU  - Jung, K.*
AU  - Merk, H.*
AU  - Olze, H.*
AU  - Zuberbier, T.*
AU  - Schlenter, W.*
AU  - Gröger, M.*
AU  - Ring, J.*
AU  - Chaker, A.
AU  - Pfaar, O.*
AU  - Becker, S.*
C1  - 59764
C2  - 49005
CY  - Bahnhofstrasse 9 Postfach 49, D-82032 Deisenhofen-muenchen, Germany
SP  - 129-138
TI  - Die
       Therapie der allergischen Rhinitis in der Routineversorgung: 
      evidenzbasierte Nutzenbewertung der kombinierten Anwendung mehrerer 
      Wirkstoffe.
JO  - Allergo J. Int.
VL  - 29
IS  - 5
PB  - Dustri-verlag Dr Karl Feistle
PY  - 2020
SN  - 2197-0378
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Purpose: Allergic reactions to Hymenoptera venoms represent potentially life-threatening conditions. However, studies on their prevalence in Germany and their relation to specific IgE sensitization are rare. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of Hymenoptera venom allergy as well as the frequency of venom-specific IgE sensitization in a large population-based adult German cohort. Methods: Questionnaire data were collected from the participants of the German population-based KORA (Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg) S4 baseline study population (n = 4261) and the follow-up F4 study population (n = 3074), which was conducted seven years later. Moreover, sIgE antibodies to honeybee (HBV) and yellow jacket venom (HJV) as well as to common aeroallergens were measured in the S4 study population. Results: The prevalence of systemic sting reactions ranged between 2.3% and 2.6%. sIgE sensitization (≥0.35kUA/L) to HBV and YJV was demonstrated in 23.1% and 31.7% of the population, respectively (41.6% to HBV and/or YJV). Double-sensitization to both venoms occurred in 13.2% of the individuals. Approximately 53% and 77% of the individuals who reported shock symptoms after honeybee and yellow jacket stings, respectively, exhibited sIgE ≥ 0.35kUA/L to the culprit venom. In contrast, only 2.8% of the venom-sensitized individuals reported symptoms exceeding local reactions. Local reactions were reported by 4.4 to 4.8% of the population. Conclusions: Self-reported Hymenoptera sting reactions and venom sensitization are frequent in the general German population. In many cases, sensitization and clinically relevant allergy are not observed in the same individual, indicating that comprehensive diagnostic approaches are a prerequisite for the identification of patients at risk for severe reactions.
AU  - Blank, S.
AU  - Haemmerle, S.*
AU  - Jaeger, T.*
AU  - Russkamp, D.
AU  - Ring, J.*
AU  - Schmidt-Weber, C.B.
AU  - Ollert, M.*
C1  - 55320
C2  - 46273
SP  - 183-191
TI  - Prevalence of Hymenoptera venom allergy and sensitization in the population-representative German KORA cohort.
JO  - Allergo J. Int.
VL  - 28
PY  - 2019
SN  - 2197-0378
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Background: The number of patients affected by allergies is increasing worldwide. The resulting allergic diseases are leading to significant costs for health care and social systems. Integrated care pathways are needed to enable comprehensive care within the national health systems. The ARIA (Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma) initiative develops internationally applicable guidelines for allergic respiratory diseases. Methods: ARIA serves to improve the care of patients with allergies and chronic respiratory diseases. In collaboration with other international initiatives, national associations and patient organizations in the field of allergies and respiratory diseases, real-life integrated care pathways have been developed for a digitally assisted, integrative, individualized treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR) with comorbid asthma. In the present work, these integrated care pathways have been adapted to the German situation and health system. Results: The present ICP (integrated care pathways) guideline covers key areas of the care of AR patients with and without asthma. It includes the views of patients and other healthcare providers. Discussion: A comprehensive ICP guideline can reflect real-life care better than traditional guideline models.
AU  - Klimek, L.*
AU  - Bachert, C.*
AU  - Pfaar, O.*
AU  - Becker, S.*
AU  - Bieber, T.*
AU  - Brehler, R.*
AU  - Buhl, R.*
AU  - Casper, I.*
AU  - Chaker, A.
AU  - Czech, W.*
AU  - Fischer, J.*
AU  - Fuchs, T.*
AU  - Gerstlauer, M.*
AU  - Hörmann, K.*
AU  - Jakob, T.*
AU  - Jung, K.*
AU  - Kopp, M.V.*
AU  - Mahler, V.*
AU  - Merk, H.*
AU  - Mülleneisen, N.*
AU  - Nemat, K.*
AU  - Rabe, U.*
AU  - Ring, J.*
AU  - Saloga, J.*
AU  - Schlenter, W.*
AU  - Schmidt-Weber, C.B.
AU  - Seyfarth, H.*
AU  - Sperl, A.*
AU  - Spindler, T.*
AU  - Staubach, P.*
AU  - Strieth, S.*
AU  - Treudler, R.*
AU  - Vogelberg, C.*
AU  - Wallrafen, A.*
AU  - Wehrmann, W.*
AU  - Wrede, H.*
AU  - Zuberbier, T.*
AU  - Bedbrook, A.*
AU  - Canonica, G.W.*
AU  - Cardona, V.*
AU  - Casale, T.B.*
AU  - Czarlewski, W.*
AU  - Fokkens, W.J.*
AU  - Hamelmann, E.*
AU  - Hellings, P.W.*
AU  - Jutel, M.*
AU  - Larenas-Linnemann, D.*
AU  - Mullol, J.*
AU  - Papadopoulos, N.G.*
AU  - Toppila-Salmi, S.*
AU  - Werfel, T.*
AU  - Bousquet, J.*
C1  - 57259
C2  - 47639
SP  - 255-276
TI  - ARIA guideline 2019: Treatment of allergic rhinitis in the German health system.
JO  - Allergo J. Int.
VL  - 28
IS  - 7
PY  - 2019
SN  - 2197-0378
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Background: The human immune system is capable of detecting a multitude of substances and organisms in the environment and responding to these in a variety of ways. This includes immune responses to pathogens, on the one hand, and immunotolerance in the form of immunoregulatory responses, resulting in either the termination of immune responses or in tolerance to harmless and endogenous substances, on the other. The development of immunotolerance is an active process that is essentially characterized by interaction with microbiota and environmental components and is primarily mediated by regulatory T cells. Methods: This article provides an overview of selected scientific articles and is addressed also to non-specialists. It is based on a literature search in PubMed, specialist databases, and guidelines. Results: According to the diversity hypothesis, exposure in early childhood to broad biodiversity is now considered to reduce the risk of developing allergic diseases. Conclusion: Therefore, tolerance induction emerges in allergology not only as a potential concept for prevention, but also as a treatment approach in atopic diseases.
AU  - Kaesler, S.*
AU  - Skabytska, Y.*
AU  - Volz, T.*
AU  - Biedermann, T.
C1  - 54050
C2  - 45258
SP  - 140-146
TI  - The biodiversity hypothesis and immunotolerance in allergy.
JO  - Allergo J. Int.
VL  - 27
IS  - 5
PY  - 2018
SN  - 2197-0378
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Background: Apart from active allergen avoidance, immunotherapy is regarded as the most effective form of treatment available for type I allergies. Such treatments involve the administration of allergen preparations in various forms and by various routes. Virus-like particles (VLPs) offer a very effective platform for immunization with the allergen and are characterized by high immunogenicity, low allergenicity and high clinical efficacy. Formulations that include Toll-like receptor ligands, T cell stimulatory epitopes and/or depot-forming adjuvants appear to enhance activation of the relevant immune cells. Short nucleotide sequences including CpG motifs have also been intensively explored as potent stimulators of dendritic cells and B cells. Methods: The present paper is based on a systematic literature search in PubMed and MEDLINE, and focuses on the pertinent immunological processes and on clinical data relating to use of VLPs and CpG motifs for the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR). Results: Many published studies have reported positive clinical results following administration of VLPs, either alone or in combination with CpG motifs and, in some cases, even in the absence of the allergen-specific allergen. Conclusions: These results indicate that VLPs modulate immune responses in ways which underline their exceptional promise as a platform for the immunotherapy of allergic disorders. However, clinical evaluations remain limited, and further large-scale and longer-term studies will be necessary to substantiate the efficacy and safety of these novel therapies.
AU  - Klimek, L.*
AU  - Kündig, T.*
AU  - Kramer, M.F.*
AU  - Guethoff, S.*
AU  - Jensen-Jarolim, E.*
AU  - Schmidt-Weber, C.B.
AU  - Palomares, O.*
AU  - Mohsen, M.O.*
AU  - Jakob, T.*
AU  - Bachmann, M.*
C1  - 54128
C2  - 45365
SP  - 245-255
TI  - Virus-like particles (VLP) in prophylaxis and immunotherapy of allergic diseases.
JO  - Allergo J. Int.
VL  - 27
IS  - 8
PY  - 2018
SN  - 2197-0378
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Michalke, B.
AU  - Kramer, M.*
AU  - Brehler, R.*
C1  - 52787
C2  - 44164
SP  - 234
TI  - Aluminum (Al) speciation in serum and urine after subcutaneous immuno therapy (SCIT) with Al as adjuvant.
JO  - Allergo J. Int.
VL  - 26
IS  - 6
PY  - 2017
SN  - 2197-0378
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - The lifetime prevalence of allergic diseases in adults in Germany [self-reported doctor diagnosed allergic diseases, Study on Adult Health in Germany (Studie zur Gesundheit Erwachsener in Deutschland, DEGS1, 2008–2011) of the Robert Koch Institute] is 8.6 % for asthma, 14.8 % for hay fever, 3.5 % for atopic dermatitis, 8.1 % for contact dermatitis, 4.7 % for food allergies, and 2.8 % for insect venom allergies. Almost 20 % of German adults are currently affected by at least one allergy. In tests on 50 common single allergens and two mixtures comprising either inhalant allergens or grass pollen allergens, 48.6 % of participants exhibited at least one allergic sensitization (specific IgE antibody detection). Overall, 33.6 % of participants were sensitized to inhalant allergens, 25.5 % to at least one food allergens, and 22.6 % to at least one insect venom allergens. A comparison of data on adults from 1998 [Federal Health Survey 1998 (Bundes-Gesundheitssurvey 1998, BGS98) of the Robert Koch Institute] and 2008–2011 (DEGS1) shows an increase in prevalence over time of almost three percentage points, while the rate of sensitization to inhalant allergens has increased from 29.8 % to 33.6 %. The prevalence of doctor diagnosed hay fever, atopic dermatitis, and food allergies, on the other hand, has remained virtually unchanged over the last 15 years. The Germany-wide lifetime prevalence of allergic diseases in children and adolescents [Study on the Health of Children and Adolescents in Germany (Studie zur Gesundheit von Kindern und Jugendlichen in Deutschland, KiGGS initial survey, 2003–2006) of the Robert Koch Institute] was 4.7 % for asthma, 10.7 % for hay fever, and 13.2 % for atopic dermatitis. Altogether, 40.8 % of German children and adolescents were sensitized to at least one of the inhalant or food allergens measured, while 20.0 % were sensitized to at least one food allergen. A marked increase in hay fever prevalence among East German children in the 1990s has resulted in an alignment of prevalence rates in East and West Germany. In contrast to adults, there was no longer a discernible difference in the prevalence of asthma, hay fever, and allergic sensitization in children between the western and eastern German federal states. In international comparisons with prevalence data from other studies, the participating German centers are in the lower third of the distribution of frequency for both children and adults.
AU  - Bergmann, K.C.*
AU  - Heinrich, J.
AU  - Niemann, H.*
C1  - 48001
C2  - 39833
SP  - 6-10
TI  - Current status of allergy prevalence in Germany : Position paper of the Environmental Medicine Commission of the Robert Koch Institute.
JO  - Allergo J. Int.
VL  - 25
IS  - 1
PY  - 2016
SN  - 2197-0378
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - BACKGROUND: ImmunoCAP ISAC 112, is a commercially available molecular allergy IgE multiplex test. Data on the comparison of this rather novel test with extract-based as well as molecular ImmunoCAP singleplex IgE tests is missing. OBJECTIVE: To perform a comparison between the ISAC multiplex IgE assay and the ImmunoCAP singleplex test results. METHODS: Serum samples of 101 adults with grass pollen allergy were analysed for sIgE to 112 allergenic molecules represented on the ISAC test as well as to common atopy-related extract-based allergy tests with the ImmunoCAP System (house dust mite [d1], cat [e1], dog [e5], cow's milk [f2], hen's egg [f1], hazelnut [f17], celery [f85], Alternaria alternate [m6], as well as pollen from birch [t3], hazel [t4], mugwort [w6], and ragweed [w1]). Subsequently statistical analysis was performed with the Spearman rank correlation test and the Clopper-Pearson method in order to compare the ISAC multiplex results with the sIgE singleplex results. RESULTS: The positive percent agreements (PPA) and negative percent agreement (NPA) of corresponding allergens between the ISAC sIgE test and the extract-based singleplex ImmunoCAP results at cutoff 0.1 kUA/l varied between 60-100 % for PPA and 78-97 % for NPA. CONCLUSION: When taking into account corresponding allergens molecular testing with the ISAC multiplex test correlates well with ImmunoCAP singleplex results.
AU  - Huss-Marp, J.*
AU  - Gutermuth, J.*
AU  - Schäffner, I.*
AU  - Darsow, U.
AU  - Pfab, F.
AU  - Brockow, K.
AU  - Ring, J.*
AU  - Behrendt, H.
AU  - Jakob, T.*
AU  - Ahlgrim, C.*
C1  - 47599
C2  - 39434
SP  - 46-53
TI  - Comparison of molecular and extract-based allergy diagnostics with multiplex and singleplex analysis.
JO  - Allergo J. Int.
VL  - 24
PY  - 2016
SN  - 2197-0378
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Epidemiologic studies revealed a crucial role of the environment for the increased prevalence of aller-gic disorders. e microbiota as part of our imme-diate environment promotes immune diversity that facilitates a well-equilibrated balance between immunity and tolerance. Alterations of our sym-biotic microbiota especially in early life is thought to play a fundamental role in defining susceptibility to the development of allergic diseases during adult life on the population level. Due to a high density of bacteria, viruses and fungi and a large contact surface area for host-microbiota inter-actions, the most relevant interaction between microbes and our immune system are thought to occur in the gut. e immune system co-evolved with the symbiotic microbiota and adopted a vari-ety of mechanisms to allow a dynamic state of tol-erance, including the induction of regulatory T cells (Tregs). Foxp3-expressing Tregs are well-described immune regulators in autoimmune and allergic disorders. However, recent years have shown that Tregs can come in di-erent ?avours with dierent regulatory potential and outcome for our immune system. is review summarizes novel findings from basic immunology research that may help to better understand the interaction between the microbiota, dierentiation of Tregs and its consequences for the onset and regulation of allergic disorders.
AU  - Ohnmacht, C.
C1  - 49443
C2  - 31090
SP  - 114-123
TI  - Microbiota, regulatory T cell subsets, and allergic disorders.
JO  - Allergo J. Int.
VL  - 25
IS  - 5
PY  - 2016
SN  - 2197-0378
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - (ragweed) is a neophyte in Europe and Germany, which originated from the United States of America. In the USA the rate of sensitization against ragweed equals that of grass pollen, and without containment the rate of allergic sensitizations against ragweed pollen will clearly increase. Currently, the most frequent sensitizations in Germany are against grass pollen, followed by sensitizations against house dust mite and birch pollen. Ragweed pollen evokes symptoms at about 10 pollen/m3, grass pollen at about 15 pollen/m3. These concentrations of ragweed pollen are only reached on limited occasions in Germany. Ragweed cross-reacts with mugwort () and a correct diagnosis is only feasible with the ragweed specific allergen Amb a 1. Due to cross reactivity with mugwort, new sensitizations against ragweed pollen are not needed to evoke allergic symptoms. The neophyte encounters an already mugwort-sensitized population, extends the pollen season and may provoke new sensitizations. Ragweed sensitizations are characterized by an increased tendency to also affect the lower airways, which is less with mugwort sensitizations. Thus containment of ragweed is needed. Ragweed seeds are imported or spread by contaminated bird feed, the transport of ragweed contaminated soil (also in tyre treads) and agricultural products from infested areas. States bordering on ragweed positive areas, like Brandenburg and Bavaria, are especially at risk and invasion is already underway. Ragweed seeds survive up to 40 years in soil, and so extended timescales for eradication and observations are needed. Germany is, compared to other countries like France (Rhone-Valley), Italy (Po-Valley), Ukraine and Hungary, limited in respect to ragweed infestation. Conditions in Germany are therefore favourable for the containment of ragweed. Switzerland implemented legislation against birdseed contamination by ragweed early during the plants expansion, and obligatory ragweed registration- and eradication showed that ragweed containment is possible. Without counter measures ragweed expansion in Germany will take place, resulting in more allergic disease. Considering the increasing number of allergic individuals, even without ragweed invasion, containment of the neophyte should be actively persued. Unfortunately, time is running out.
AU  - Buters, J.T.M.
AU  - Alberternst, B.*
AU  - Nawrath, S.*
AU  - Wimmer, M.
AU  - Traidl-Hoffmann, C.*
AU  - Starfinger, U.*
AU  - Behrendt, H.
AU  - Schmidt-Weber, C.B.
AU  - Bergmann, K.C.*
C1  - 53025
C2  - 44277
SP  - 108-120
TI  - Ambrosia artemisiifolia (ragweed) in Germany – current presence, allergological relevance and containment procedures.
JO  - Allergo J. Int.
VL  - 24
IS  - 4
PY  - 2015
SN  - 2197-0378
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - During the last decade, the field of T cell immunology started to confuse the scientific community. More and more subtypes of T helper cells and their counterparts in the innate immune system are described. We are just at the beginning to understand which specific function the distinct subtypes fulfill. Th22 cells are terminally differentiated and very specialized T helper cells characterized by the secretion of their signature cytokine IL-22 and lack of IL-4, IL-17 and IFN-γ. The main function of Th22 cells is to protect epithelial barrier organs such as skin and lung, but also to modulate inflamed and injured tissue. This review summarizes our current knowledge on Th22 cells and their function in allergic disease.
AU  - Eyerich, K.*
AU  - Eyerich, S.
C1  - 47146
C2  - 39113
SP  - 1-7
TI  - Th22 cells in allergic disease.
JO  - Allergo J. Int.
VL  - 24
IS  - 1
PY  - 2015
SN  - 2197-0378
ER  -