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January 22, 2026 | Black & Kletz Allergy
It is Winter in the Washington, DC, Northern, VA, and Maryland metropolitan area which generally means cold and dry weather. Individuals with asthma may be affected more than the usual person during the Winter because the cold weather is a common trigger of asthma. An asthma doctor DC residents trust is important to the health of anyone in the metro area […]
Read MoreJanuary 16, 2026 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Alpha-gal syndrome is an allergic condition caused by a sensitivity to a carbohydrate known as galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (i.e., alpha-gal). This molecule is found on the cells of non-primate mammals (i.e., beef, pork, lamb, venison, etc.). This condition is mainly thought to develop after tick bites. The regional distribution of alpha-gal syndrome corresponds with specific tick species populations […]
Read MoreDecember 16, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Adverse reactions to medications are very common. Among the drugs associated with immediate hypersensitivity reactions (i.e., IgE antibody-mediated allergic reactions), penicillins are the most commonly observed. Penicillin allergy is reported in approximately 7 to 10% of the community population and it occurs in up to 20% of hospitalized patients. However, more than 90% of these patients do […]
Read MoreDecember 05, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Pulmonary function testing is a tool to help diagnose certain respiratory disorders such as asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema. Bronchitis and emphysema are both categorized as chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD). A pulmonary function testing doctor McLean, VA knows is Michael R. Kletz, M.D. of Black & Kletz Allergy. He and his colleague, Appaji Gondi, M.D., both […]
Read MoreNovember 27, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
The human immune system has evolved to defend and protect us from infections caused by microbes and some types of cancers. The cells responsible for these defenses originate in the bone marrow and circulate in the blood stream and lymphatic system. The human immune system has evolved to defend and protect us from infections caused […]
Read MoreNovember 12, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Well, it is that time of year again. A time for getting together with family and friends for the annual ritual of gluttony – I mean Thanksgiving. Although the holiday is generally a festive occasion, some food-allergic individuals find Thanksgiving to be a time of the year where they are more concerned than usual. Individuals […]
Read MoreOctober 23, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Urticaria (i.e., hives) are itchy red blotches or “welts” that generally occur on the skin but may also occur internally on various parts of the body. The lesions can be flush with the skin, but are usually slightly elevated above the skin surface, similar to a mosquito bite. Approximately 20 to 30% of the population […]
Read MoreOctober 10, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Individuals with asthma probably are unaware of the association between asthma and acid reflux (GERD). It is estimated that approximately 75% of asthmatics have GERD of some degree. GERD or acid reflux occurs when there is a backflow of stomach contents into the esophagus (i.e., swallowing tube). In other words, the stomach contents travel in […]
Read MoreSeptember 26, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
SARS-CoV-2 is the name of the coronavirus that is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic that caused millions of deaths worldwide. Although vaccination and established population immunity have substantially mitigated the severity of acute SARS-CoV-2 infections, the virus continues to infect millions of people resulting in a number of hospitalizations and deaths. There is a need for an […]
Read MoreSeptember 26, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Autumn has just begun and for some people it is a bittersweet moment. Although many individuals enjoy the lower temperatures that the autumn brings in the Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland metropolitan region, many allergy sufferers are not so welcoming because with the lower temperatures, mold and weed pollen levels rise. The major weed culprit […]
Read MoreAugust 18, 2025 | Black & Kletz Allergy
Over the last 10-15 years, the number of individuals with meat allergy has risen mainly because of a condition called alpha-gal syndrome or mammalian meat allergy. Alpha-gal syndrome was first identified by Dr. Thomas Platts-Mills at the University of Virginia School of Medicine in 2002. He discovered that the syndrome originated from the bite of lone star […]
Read MoreAugust 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 […]
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