title: The tale of the allergist's life: a series of interesting case reports.
abstract: The practicing allergist has the unique opportunity to see an extraordinary variety of fascinating patients. Identifying the precise cause of the patient's complaints makes for a satisfying intellectual endeavor. This is exemplified by the description of nine cases seen in a university allergy clinic. The cases include uncommon pets such as monkey, hedgehog, and iguana; occupational allergens such as slime mold and nematodes; household exposure to spider and lady bugs; and recreational exposure to earthworms and algae. Instituting environmental control measures results in a gratifying response in the patient.
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunobiology, Section of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63104, USA. slavinrg@slu.edu
authors.forename: Raymond G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Slavin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens; D000486:Allergy and Immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013333:Student Health Services; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens