A defence system that sometimes malfunctions
Although the immune system’s main purpose is the protection of the body from infections and the elimination of modified or mutated cells, it can malfunction, too. In this article you …
Course: Allergies: When the Immune System Backfires
Allergic Disorders: Essential Concepts and Terminology
The evolution of allergology includes a lot of stories of discovery and failures; we might describe this evolution also as a tragedy of errors. However, we may conclude one important …
Jellyfishes and dogs: sleuthing allergies
In 1901, two scientists experimented with dogs on a yacht. By injecting them the poison of a jellyfish they tried to find a vaccination against it. But instead of producing …
How Does Vaccination Work?
Vaccinations are part of the success story of modern medicine, and their discovery has saved numerous lives. However, the long and insistent work of many researchers was needed to get …
Differences in Respiratory Viral Infection and Respiratory Allergy
Many viruses are responsible for common colds. The immune system reacts to them with protective measures. Allergic rhinitis shares a lot of symptoms with common colds. These symptoms are provoked …
Rose fever
How was health defined in ancient times? Learn about the four humors influencing the balance needed for a healthy organism and what role bad air played in the discovery of …
The dawn of allergies
Infections are known since antiquity. In the 19th century, the discovery of particular bacteria causing diseases led to a better understanding of immune processes and, in turn, to the development …
How this course works
Welcome and thank you for enrolling in our course ‘Allergies: When the Immune System Backfires’. We are very much looking forward to working with you over the next three weeks. …
A king eating strawberries
Many people suffer from allergies. The concept of an allergy, however, was only introduced into medical science at the beginning of the 20th century. Before that, typical symptoms were explained …