History of allergies: from ancient times to the present
When most people hear the word allergy, they probably think of hay fever, food allergies, atopic dermatitis, etc. However, this modern concept was only established relatively recently.
Looking back at the history of allergies, we can see how our understanding of them has changed with the development of medicine.
■Ancient records: Allergies as an unknown disease One of the oldest records of allergies is the legend of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Menes (around 3000 BC) dying from a bee sting. This is thought to be a case of anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction).
The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates (5th century BC) wrote about patients who became ill after eating certain foods, making this one of the earliest medical descriptions of food allergies.
■The development of modern medicine and the discovery of allergies <br>The word allergy was coined in the early 20th century. In 1906, Austrian pediatrician Clemens von Pirke coined the term "allergies" to describe the phenomenon in which an excessive immune response causes illness. The word is a combination of the Greek words "allos" (different) and "ergon" (action), and means "a reaction that is different from the norm."
Around this time, French physician Charles Richet conducted research into anaphylaxis, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1913. His research demonstrated that allergic reactions could have life-threatening effects.
■The second half of the 20th century: Rapid increase in allergies and progress in research <br>After World War II, as industrialization and urbanization progressed, allergic diseases rapidly increased. In particular, hay fever, asthma, and atopic dermatitis began to attract attention as social problems. Possible causes include air pollution, changes in diet, and hypersensitivity of the immune system due to improved sanitation (the "hygiene hypothesis").
In the 1960s, immunoglobulin E (IgE) was discovered, and the mechanism of allergic reactions became clear, which led to the development of treatments such as antihistamines and steroids, making it possible to control allergic symptoms.
■ Present and future: personalized medicine and overcoming allergies <br>Currently, allergy research is progressing further, and progress is being made in elucidating it at the genetic level. With the development of oral immunotherapy for food allergies and biopharmaceuticals, treatment of allergic diseases is becoming more personalized. In addition, the relationship between intestinal bacteria and the immune system has attracted attention, and research is also being conducted into the prevention of allergies using probiotics.
Allergies are one of the unavoidable health issues in modern society, but learning about their history may provide some clues as to how we should deal with them.
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