Section outline

  • A woman sneezes into a tissue, showing signs of an allergic reaction.

    Have you ever started to sneeze and not known why?
    ::你有没有开始打喷嚏 不知道为什么?

    A beautiful sea of flowers . A nice sight , unless you have an allergic reaction. It is not uncommon to have reactions to pollen .
    ::美丽的花海,美丽的景象,除非你过敏反应,对花粉的反应并非罕见。

    Allergies
    ::过敏过敏

    Your immune system usually protects you from and keeps you well. However, like any other body system, the immune system itself can develop problems. Sometimes it responds to harmless foreign substances as though they were pathogens. Sometimes it attacks the body’s own . Certain diseases can also attack and damage the immune system and interfere with its ability to defend the body.
    ::您的免疫系统通常保护您,并保护您。 但是,像其他任何身体系统一样,免疫系统本身也会产生问题。 有时,免疫系统会像病原体一样对无害的外国物质作出反应。 有时,免疫系统会攻击身体本身。 某些疾病也会袭击和破坏免疫系统,并干扰其保护身体的能力。

    An allergy is a disease in which the immune system makes an to a harmless antigen . Any antigen that causes an allergy is called an allergen . Allergens may be inhaled or ingested, or they may come into contact with the skin. Two common causes of allergies are shown in Figure . Inhaling ragweed pollen may cause coughing and sneezing. Skin contact with oils in poison ivy may cause an itchy rash. Other common causes of allergies include dust mites, , dander, insect stings, latex, and certain food and medications. Symptoms of a common allergy such as pollen can include sneezing, a runny nose, nasal congestion and itchy, watery .
    ::任何导致过敏的抗原都称为过敏。过敏的抗原可以吸入或摄入,或者与皮肤接触。过敏的两个常见原因在图中显示。吸入的抹布花粉可能会导致咳嗽和喷嚏。与毒性静脉中油的皮肤接触可能导致痒疹。过敏的其他常见原因包括灰尘微粒、干燥、昆虫刺、乳胶以及某些食物和药物。常见过敏的症状,如授粉等,可包括喷鼻、流鼻鼻涕、鼻塞和痒、水。

    Ragweed and poison ivy leaves, illustrating common allergens causing allergic reactions.

    Ragweed and poison ivy are common causes of allergies. Are you allergic to these plants?
    ::你对这些植物过敏吗?

    The symptoms of allergies can range from mild to severe. Mild allergy symptoms are often treated with antihistamines . These are drugs that reduce or eliminate the effects of the histamines that cause allergy symptoms. Recall that histamines trigger the inflammatory response. The most severe allergic reaction is called anaphylaxis . This is a life-threatening response caused by a massive release of histamines. It requires emergency medical treatment.
    ::过敏症状从温到重不等。 低过敏症状通常用抗脑胺治疗。 这些药物可以减少或消除导致过敏症状的脑胺的影响。 请注意, 甲胺会引发炎症反应。 最严重的过敏反应被称为厌食症。 这是大量释放脑膜炎造成的危及生命的反应。 它需要紧急医疗救治。

      

     

    Summary
    ::摘要

    • Allergies occur when the immune system makes an inflammatory response to a harmless antigen.
      ::当免疫系统对无害抗原作出煽动性反应时,就会发生过敏。
    • An antigen that causes an allergy is called an allergen.
      ::导致过敏的抗原叫做过敏原

    Review
    ::回顾

    1. What is an allergen? Give two examples.
      ::什么是过敏?请举两个例子。
    2. Define anaphylaxis. What causes the symptoms of anaphylaxis?
      ::麻醉症的定义是什么 是什么导致窒息症的症状?
    3. Sometimes people with an allergy get allergy shots. They are injected with tiny amounts of the allergen that triggers the allergic reaction. The shots are repeated at regular intervals, and the amount of allergen that is injected each time gradually increases. How do you think this might help an allergy? Do you think this approach just treats allergy symptoms or might it cure the allergy?
      ::有时,过敏者会过敏。他们被注射少量引发过敏反应的过敏原。 每隔一段时间重复注射, 每次注射的过敏量会逐渐增加。 你觉得这能帮助过敏吗? 你认为这个方法只是治疗过敏症状还是治疗过敏症状?