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August 13, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a painful, life-threatening skin condition. It is associated with blistering and peeling of large areas of the skin, including mucous membranes such as the mouth, eyes, and/or genitals. If less than 10% of the body surface is involved, it is often called Stevens- Johnson syndrome (SJS). In the more severe […]
Read MoreJuly 18, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Pet allergies are quite common in the United States. About 20% of the U.S. population have cat allergies and 10% of the people in the U.S. have dog allergies. Approximately 70% of the homes in the U.S. have at least 1 pet with dogs being the most common pet, followed by cats. The percentage of […]
Read MoreJuly 08, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Erythema Multiforme is a type of a rash on the skin, usually triggered by an infection or an adverse effect of a medication. The condition gets its name from the appearance of reddish skin lesions of various forms seen at the same time. Erythema multiforme affects less than 1% of the population. It is most […]
Read MoreJune 27, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Prurigo nodularis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease where an extremely itchy rash in the form of firm bumps called nodules appears most commonly on the arms, legs, upper back, and/or abdomen. The rash is usually symmetrically distributed on both sides of the body. The itchiness, burning, and stinging sensation associated with prurigo nodularis is […]
Read MoreJune 16, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Now that Summer is almost here, people tend to spend a lot of time outdoors. Whether it be going to the beach, swimming at the neighborhood pool, playing baseball or softball, having a picnic, fishing, hiking, riding bicycles, gardening, or any other outside activity, people are more likely to be outdoors now than in any […]
Read MoreMay 28, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Histamine is a biogenic amine (i.e., an organic compound made up of carbon and nitrogen bonds) with several biological effects across different types of cells, mediated through the activation of histamine receptors. Histamine is normally present within mast cells and other similar cell types such as basophils. Mast cells are cells of the connective tissue that contain many granules rich in histamine and other chemicals. Histamine is also present in various […]
Read MoreMay 23, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Individuals with pollen allergies may be affected throughout the year, depending on where they live or travel. In the Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland metropolitan area, pollen allergies are bothersome to allergic individuals generally from late February through the first frost, which is usually at the end of October. In this region, trees are the […]
Read MoreApril 15, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
There are a few over-the-counter (OTC) medications that some patients with asthma and other respiratory conditions occasionally use. One of them is an inhaler called Primatene Mist. Primatene Mist contains epinephrine (i.e., adrenaline) in an inhalable form. Though it is the same drug that is in an EpiPen, Auvi-Q, Adrenaclick, and other self-injectable epinephrine devices […]
Read MoreApril 10, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Pollen food allergy syndrome (PFAS), also known as oral allergy syndrome, is a condition in which there is first a “sensitization” of the immune system to various pollens and subsequent “reactions” when exposed to these pollens. Secondly, there is a similarity of the protein allergens in the pollen and the protein allergens of certain raw or […]
Read MoreMarch 25, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Spring is here! This means that quite a few Washingtonians will be pretty miserable as they will be suffering from hay fever (i.e., allergic rhinitis). In the early Spring, tree pollen is mostly to blame for the annoying symptoms that cause hay fever. Other than tree pollen, molds are also a common environmental allergen that plays havoc with allergy […]
Read MoreMarch 20, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a rare condition that causes gastrointestinal symptoms several hours after consumption of certain foods by an individual who has an intolerance to that food. The prevalence rate in the United States is approximately 0.5%. The most common types of food allergy in children and adults are mediated by an […]
Read MoreFebruary 13, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Some individuals have episodes of swelling or “angioedema” of various tissues that may occur without any known rhyme or reason. They may have 1 episode or they may have multiple or recurrent episodes. Most people with this condition are very surprised and nervous when they notice an area of their body swelling up right in […]
Read MoreFebruary 11, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Four viral infections are surging in the country this year. Three of them are respiratory viruses and one is a gastrointestinal infection. Influenza (“flu”) usually tends to peak in the Winter. The Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) statistics reveal that more than 30% of the lab tests were positive for the flu in January of […]
Read MoreJanuary 16, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Hives, also known as urticaria, is a very bothersome problem for those affected. They are usually quite itchy although they do not have to be. A hive is typically a raised welt, wheal, or bump on the skin that may have an accompanying red blotch surrounding the bump. Hives however can be flush with the […]
Read MoreJanuary 09, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
An eosinophil is a type of white blood cell that has a role in fighting against parasitic infections and responding to allergens. Eosinophils normally constitute about 5 to 8% of the white blood cells in one’s bloodstream. Their absolute numbers range from 100 to 500 eosinophils per microliter of blood. In individuals who are atopic, (i.e., people […]
Read MoreDecember 13, 2024 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Atopic dermatitis (i.e., eczema) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the skin. The symptoms usually begin in infancy and early childhood, although less commonly, they may begin later in life. Genetic predisposition is the underlying reason for most cases, however environmental factors and allergic sensitization to foods and aeroallergens may trigger and/or aggravate the condition. The face […]
Read MoreDecember 06, 2024 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Winter is around the corner and so are the annoying allergy symptoms that some individuals experience during this time of the year. Classically, in the Washington, DC, Northern VA, and Maryland metropolitan area, when people think of hay fever (i.e., allergic rhinitis), they think of allergy symptoms that occur in the Spring and/or Fall. The allergens that […]
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