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The gut microbiota serves a crucial role in the development of host immunity. Immunocompromised patients are particularly vulnerable to dysbiosis not only by virtue of a defect in the immune system but also due to increased susceptibility to infection and multiple courses of antibiotic therapy. Fecal microbiota transplantation is by far the most effective option for restoring gastrointestinal homeostasis. However, it is contraindicated in patients with significant primary and secondary immunodeficiencies. This article presents the case of a 59-year-old patient with common variable immunodeficiency, after splenectomy at age 39 for primary immune thrombocytopenia, who manifested diarrhea of up to 10 stools per day accompanied by secondary malnutrition and cachexia. The patient was admitted to the hospital on multiple occasions due to this condition, with stool PCR tests confirming a HHV-5 (Cytomegalovirus, CMV) infection. Following the administration of valganciclovir, the patient's complaints diminished, although, upon cessation of the drug, the symptoms recurred. In addition, the patient had an intestinal infection with C. difficile etiology. Given that the patient's therapeutic options had been exhausted, after obtaining informed consent from the patient and approval from the bioethics committee to conduct a medical experiment, treatment of diarrhea was undertaken by fecal microbiota transplantation with the certified preparation Mbiotix HBI from the Human Biome Institute. The patient underwent two transplants, with a one-week interval between them. The initial procedure was performed using the endoscopic method, while the subsequent was conducted using the capsule method. Following the administration of the applied treatment, the patient's symptoms were successfully alleviated, and no adverse effects were observed. A microbiological analysis of the intestinal microbiota was conducted prior to and following transplantation via next-generation sequencing (NGS). No recurrence of symptoms was observed during the two-year follow-up period. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first fecal microbiota transplantation in an adult patient with primary and secondary immunodeficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allergy to fur animals is becoming an increasingly common clinical problem in everyday medical practice. Depending on the route of exposure to the allergen, patients present with many, often non-specific symptoms. The most common illnesses among people with allergies to the above-mentioned allergens are as follows: allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, atopic bronchial asthma, food allergy, allergic contact dermatitis, and sometimes anaphylactic shock. In recent years, there has been a change in the holistic approach to the treatment of allergy patients. The method of treatment should be tailored to a specific patient, taking into account his or her predispositions, economic possibilities, and therapeutic goals. The article describes the main methods of treating allergies, focusing primarily on allergies to fur animals. Allergy treatment always requires great care, and qualification for specific types of therapy should be preceded by a thorough and accurate diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food consumption is the second most common cause of anaphylaxis among adults. There have been reported cases after eating seafood, which the most popular are shrimps. The most common allergen of shrimp is tropomyosin. A 22 years-old female experienced dyspnoea, edema of lips, tongue, eyelids and generalized urticaria with pruritus after eating bread with shrimp paste. Also, for 4 years, the patient has symptoms of rhinitis with conjunctivitis during spring and summer months and after eating unprepared apples, nectarines, hazelnuts and walnuts experiences itching of the lips, tongue and throat. The patients provided the results of specific IgE tests which showed positive results for pollen of birch, alder, rye, timothy grass, epidermis of dog, cat, horse, rabbit, egg yolk, shrimp and Alternaria alternata. During the diagnosis, skin prick tests with extracts of food and inhalant allergens were performed. A positive result was for the allergen extract from cat fur, grass mixture, rye, alder, birch, hazel and shrimp. We also established the level of IgE specific to allergen components using the ImmunoCap ISAC method. Allergen-specific IgE was elevated for the shrimp allergen Pen m 4 (sarcoplasmic calcium binding protein), allergens of timothy grass, bermuda grass, birch and cat, as well as cross-reacting allergens of alder, hazel, apple, peach, soy and peanuts. Considering the overall clinical picture the patient was diagnosed with a shrimp allergy and seasonal allergic rhinitis caused by allergy to birch and grasses. The patient was advised to exclude seafood from her diet and provided with adrenaline, steroids and antihistamines. According to our current knowledge, this is the first reported case of anaphylaxis after eating shrimp caused by allergy to Pen m 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diagnosing allergies is not always easy. Sometimes the symptoms reported by the patient do not match the results of diagnostic tests. Diagnostics of IgE-dependent allergy, including allergy to furry animals, can be based on two basic strategies, "BOTTOM-UP" and "TOP-DOWN", and almost all available allergy tests can be used ranging from skin tests, through specific IgE, to molecular panels and challenge tests. Currently, most information regarding the diagnosis and incidence of allergies to furry animals focuses almost exclusively on the two most common pets—dogs and cats. This is certainly due to the fact that allergy to cats and/or dogs is a common phenomenon, has a huge impact on quality of life, and is a challenge for doctors of many specialties. However, the growing number of owners of other pet species means that diagnostic methods must keep up with the changing needs of patients. Further research in these groups will certainly provide new facts and facilitate clinical decision-making when working with allergic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of domestication of animals allowed for a change in the way of human life. Farm animals provided easy and relatively constant access to milk, meat, leather and wool. Farm animals are also increasingly used as pets and companions. Unfortunately, the appearance of animals in the human environment has also provided contact with new allergens. Allergy to fur animals has become a significant problem in the practice of an allergist. At present, it is a relatively common form of allergy and affects both adults and children. In the second part of the review of fur allergens, approved by the WHO/IUIS Subcommittee on allergen nomenclature, the allergens of rabbit, domestic cattle, horse, donkey, pig, goat and sheep were characterized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Furry animals, such as dogs and cats, are permanently settled in our homes. Many people cannot imagine life without their favorite pet. Unfortunately, the appearance of animals in the human environment is associated with exposure to numerous allergens. Allergy to fur animals is currently a relatively common form of sensitization and affects both adults and children. The possibility of diagnosing sensitization to specific proteins that are found in animal secretions and knowledge about the biological role of these allergens allows patients to give more detailed and adequate recommendations. However, the correct interpretation of sensitization to allergen components is still a challenge for the clinician. In the first part of the review the allergens (accepted by the WHO/IUIS Allergen Nomenclature Committee) of dog, cat, guinea pig, jungle hamster, Syrian hamster, house mouse and rat were characterized. The review article presents a compendium of information about the known allergens, which, we hope, will prove useful in the daily work of an allergist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE) is a relatively rare disease, but it should be considered whenever a patient presents with unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms that cannot be explained by parasitic infection or other gastrointestinal diseases characterized by eosinophilic infiltration. A high coexistence of EGE and allergic diseases has been documented. Diagnosis of EGE is based primarily on clinical, endoscopic, and histopathological findings. Glucocorticosteroids and other immunomodulatory drugs are the mainstay of treatment, but currently the greatest hope lies in biological drugs, which are undergoing intensive research. This disease is troublesome for the patient and significantly reduces the quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for causing the COVID-19 disease, which affected 174 million people worldwide. After vaccines were launched, the focus was on their effectiveness and the degree of their safety. Aim: The authors try to find factors that may affect the response to vaccination. Material and methods: The study was conducted in 47 adults (39 women and 8 men; age: 47.3 ±11.2). Participants were vaccinated with two doses of the Comirnaty mRNA vaccine. Each patient had a medical history taken and the concentration of specific sIgG antibodies against S1 protein and SARS-CoV-2 N protein, as well as of selected cytokines (IL-8, TGF-β, IFN-g) was determined before and 3 weeks after the first and second dose of the vaccine. Results: There were 18 convalescents among the respondents. A statistically significant increase in the concentration of specific sIgG S1 in subsequent determinations was observed. Higher levels of sIgG S1 were found after the first dose of the vaccine in COVID-19 convalescents. There was no statistically significant influence of age, body mass index and sex on the increase in the concentration of antibodies and the concentration of the determined cytokines. It was shown that the higher the initial TGF-β concentration, the greater the increase in sIgG S1 after administration of the vaccine. Conclusions: Vaccination did not increase the levels of IL-8, IFN-g and TGF-β. A higher concentration of serum TGF-β before vaccination correlated with the higher concentration of sIgG S1 antibodies after the first dose of the vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis (FDEIA) is a special type of anaphylaxis. Allergic reactions develop only when food is consumed with a cofactor. Cofactor of the reaction are exercise, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, alcohol and infection. The frequency of FDEIA is different in the geographical area of the word. The pathogenesis of food- dependent anaphylaxis induced by exercise or other cofactors is not fully understood. In this case, the cause may be increased permeability of the gastrointestinal epithelium and greater bioavailability of allergens, or an increase in plasma osmolality during physical activity. In practice, every allergic reaction can be amplified by cofactors. There are allergens, such as ω-5-gliadin, lipid transport proteins, and tropomyosin, for which their role seems to be particularly important. In many cases of FDEIA, the allergen causing the reaction is not identified. The gold standard for diagnosing food allergy is the oral challenge test. In the case of FDEIA, conducting them is a challenge due to the need to introduce a cofactor into the test. It is necessary to explain to the patient the nature of FDEIA and the allergens that sensitize him. The most important thing is to completely avoid eating foods that trigger reactions 4 hours before and 2 hours after exercise. Biological drugs may become a new treatment method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]