[Immunotoxicology--new medical science].
The constant increase in the incidence of allergic diseases, auto-immune diseases, infections and cancer is observed in our time from the beginning of the industrial revolution, i.e. in the second half of the nineteenth century. Epidemiological and clinical evidence suggests that environmental pollutants present in air, water, soil, foods may affect this phenomenon. Environmental pollutants, which are usually low molecular weight chemicals in high concentrations provoke irritant or toxic reactions and can be easily identified. In our time, these chemical contaminants are often present in low concentrations in the environment of space open and closed. Thus, they are poorly recognized by living organisms. However, several previous experimental and clinical studies suggest that they may affect the immune system and as weak immune stimulants may provoke hypersensitivity reactions (allergies or self-aggression) or weaken the natural antinflammatory and antineoplasmatic resistance. Immunotoxicology and alergolotoxicology have been proposed as a new medical science and research ideas that have lead to clarify the influence of the environmental chemical pollution on increased incidence of immunological diseases of our time.
Katedra Toksykologii i Chorób Srodowiskowych, Uniwersytet Jagielloński, Collegium Medicum w Krakowie. mmobtulo@cyf-kr.edu.pl
Krystyna
K
Obtułowicz
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D000922:Immunotoxins / Q000633:toxicity*
D000393:Air Pollutants; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D000922:Immunotoxins