Allergy and Immunology Commons^™

Giant Cell Arteritis After Mrna Covid Vaccines: Concerning Or A False Alarm?-A Retrospective Cohort Study, Syed M. F. Zabiullah, Rutwik Pradeep Sharma, Roshan Subedi, Viqarunnisa Faaiza Zahid, Yasir Loai, Sarathlal Mannumbethlal, Aatifa Aatifa

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

Background: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic led to the first large-scale rapid deployment of novel messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines. Although the effectiveness and safety of these vaccines were rigorously studied, post-vaccination adverse events such as giant cell arteritis (GCA) continue to be reported. More than two hundred and sixty three cases of new-onset GCA occurring after mRNA vaccine administration are listed in the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System as of October 2024. We aimed to explore the incidence of GCA after mRNA vaccines among patients in our health system and study their characteristics and outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a …

Allergy In Dentistry: Mechanisms Of Development And Effective Treatment Methods, Maria Zofia Lisiecka

International Arab Journal of Dentistry

Objectives: This study is conducted to analyse the mechanisms of allergic reaction development in dentistry and the effectiveness of their treatment methods.

Methods: During it, a review of current scientific sources on allergology, immunology, dentistry, pharmacology, and materials science is conducted, mechanisms for the development of allergies of various types are established, the effectiveness of treatment methods is evaluated, and clinical recommendations for allergy therapy in dentistry are formed.

Results: The results show that the development of allergic reactions occurs by two mechanisms. Immediate-type immunoglobulin E-mediated (IgE-mediated) responses are triggered by the release of histamine, serotonin, and …

Vcd-Induced Model Of Menopause To Study Effects Of Sleep Fragmentation On Atherogenesis, Sarah Shackelford B.S, Alina Moriarty M.S., Basudha Habisyasi M.S., Kathleen Coleman B.S., Pavla Brachova Phd, Diane Duffy Phd, Elena Galkina Phd

Cardiovascular Research Symposium

Introduction: Atherosclerosis is a chronic disease characterized by plaque buildup within arteries, leading to cardiovascular diseases. Sleep fragmentation (SF), defined as less than seven hours of uninterrupted sleep, is a recognized risk factor and is commonly observed in menopausal women. Menopause causes a decline in estrogen and ovarian follicles, resulting in the loss of estrogen’s protective anti-atherogenic effects. SF exacerbates atherosclerosis by promoting oxidative stress and inflammation. Since SF contributes to atherosclerosis, and menopausal women are particularly affected by disturbed sleep, we aim to examine how menopause affects atherogenesis in the conditions of disturbed sleep.

Methods: We used the 4-vinylcyclohexene …

Alfred Russel Wallace Notes 37. What About Wallace On Vaccination . . . ?, Charles H. Smith

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Best known for his natural history studies on evolution and biogeography, Alfred Russel Wallace (1823−1913) had a significant second career as a social critic. One of his most controversial stances was his position on (smallpox) vaccination. Anti-vaxxers of the present frequently bring up his name as a resource for their side, but the situation is not so easily reducible to that.

Identification And Preclinical Assessment Of Novel Therapeutic Modalities In Environmental Exposure-Induced Lung Disease, Aaron D. Schwab

Theses & Dissertations

Environmental lung diseases are preventable respiratory conditions either caused or made worse by inhaled environmental exposures. Contemporarily, environmental lung diseases are most associated with workplace exposures given specific occupational processes aerosolize inflammatory agents that can be inhaled at high concentrations. Although a considerable amount is known regarding immunoglobulin (Ig)E-mediated responses to environmental exposures, little is known about non-IgE mediated respiratory conditions resulting from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-enriched organic dust exposure(s). Chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and pulmonary fibrosis have all been identified as environmental lung diseases caused or exacerbated by such environmental dusts. Therapeutic …

Drug-Induced Hypersensitivity Syndrome Resulting In Hepatotoxicity And Epstein-Barr Virus Reactivation Following Initiation Of Levetiracetam, Zechariah Jung, Xavier Zonna, Samuel J. Wlasowicz, Conor Banta, Lawrence Canale, Joseph Bielecki

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

A 28-year-old male with a past medical history of alcohol abuse had new-onset seizures suspected to be caused by alcohol use. Twelve days after starting levetiracetam for seizure prophylaxis, he began to develop a pruritic rash, darkening of his urine, periods of jaundice, and hot flashes that correlated with the timing of his levetiracetam dosing. He was subsequently found to have lymphocyte-predominant leukocytosis, elevated aminotransferases, and alkaline phosphatase. Following discontinuation of his levetiracetam, he was found to have positive Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) serology suggestive of reactivation. This case demonstrates levetiracetam as a rare cause of drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DIHS) along …

Ai Model For Predicting Asthma Prognosis In Children, Elham Sagheb, Chung-Il Wi, Katherine S King, Bhavani Singh Agnikula Kshatriya, Euijung Ryu, Hongfang Liu, Miguel A Park, Hee Yun Seol, Shauna M Overgaard, Deepak K Sharma, Young J Juhn, Sunghwan Sohn

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Childhood asthma often continues into adulthood, but some children experience remission. Utilizing electronic health records (EHRs) to predict asthma prognosis can aid health care providers and patients in developing effective prioritized care plans.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to develop artificial intelligence (AI) models using various clinical variables extracted from EHRs to predict childhood asthma prognosis (remission vs no remission) in different age groups.

METHODS: We developed AI models utilizing patients' EHRs during the first 6, 9, or 12 years of their lives to predict their asthma prognosis status at ages 6 to 9, 9 to 12, or 12 to 15 …

Case Report: A Case Of Transient Dress Syndrome (Drug Rash With Eosinophilia And Systemic Symptoms), Dip Patel, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

We report a case of a 41-year-old female with a history of hypertension who presented with fever and a diffuse erythematous rash after taking trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) for an ear infection. Due to her symptoms, mild eosinophilia, and elevated liver function tests, Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) was suspected. Although the patient’s rash had resolved by the time of initial evaluation, it recurred overnight, reinforcing suspicion for DRESS syndrome. TMP-SMX was discontinued, and acetylcysteine was administered due to the patient’s high-dose use of acetaminophen in the days prior to her hospital presentation. Infectious and autoimmune workups were negative. …

Case Report: Cold Urticaria Diagnosed In The Emergency Department, Philip Carhart, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Cold urticaria can be primary (idiopathic) or can be due to underlying hematologic or infectious diseases. Here we present the case of a young female patient with no past medical history who was diagnosed with cold urticaria in the emergency department setting, using a cold stimulation test. Most cases are idiopathic. The reaction can be triggered in individual cases by exposure to cold objects or to generalized cold ambient temperatures, as was the case in the patient presented here. The physical response is most commonly pruritic wheals (urticaria). However, more severe symptoms may occur up to angioedema with hoarseness and …

Case Report: Alpha Gal Syndrome, Eric Haljasmaa, David Parkes, Wayne Tamaska

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

We report a case of a 40-year-old male who presented with sensation of throat closing and shortness of breath while at work at a meat processing facility. The differential diagnosis of shortness of breath is throat closing includes, but is not limited to, allergic reactions to antibiotics in meat, allergy to food additives, Symptom triggers are useful in identifying causes and a good supporting history and exposures can help with diagnosis. In this case, the patient had a known diagnosis of Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) which is a tick-bite associated, possibly life-threatening immunoglobin E-mediated (IgE) hypersensitivity to galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal). The patient …

Case Report: Lamotrigine-Induced Rash In An Adult Patient, Dhruvin Patel, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Lamotrigine (Lamictal®) is a commonly prescribed anticonvulsant and mood-stabilizing medication. One of the rare but serious adverse effects of lamotrigine is the development of a drug-induced rash, which can be potentially life-threatening. This case report highlights the occurrence of a drug-induced rash in a 33-year-old female patient who was prescribed lamotrigine for the management of bipolar disorder. The patient presented with a characteristic rash, and following timely intervention, the rash resolved without complications. This case emphasizes the importance of monitoring for early signs of rash in patients receiving lamotrigine and outlines management strategies.

Allergies Coinciding With Central Sensitization Syndromes (Access), Jacqueline Morey, Alemu Fite, Carl Lauter, Matthew Sims

Posters

Significance of Reported Allergies: Many reported drug allergies are mislabeled side effects or misinterpretations, leading to suboptimal treatment, antibiotic resistance, and worse patient outcomes.¹

Central Sensitization Syndromes (CSS): CSSs are chronic pain conditions linked to altered sensory perception, including pain, fatigue, and neurologic dysfunction.² These patients may be more likely to misattribute medication side effects as allergies.

Previous Findings & Hypothesis: Prior research found high allergy reporting in interstitial cystitis and fibromyalgia—both CSS conditions.⁴ We hypothesized that other CSS diagnoses also correlate with increased allergy reporting, emphasizing the need for better allergy evaluation.

Interferon Regulatory Factor 3 In Interferon Gamma Receptor Signaling And Cancer Immunology, Zachary P. Guinn

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Every year millions of people die from cancer throughout the world, and tens of millions of people are diagnosed with cancer worldwide. When surgery is not an option, treatment options commonly rely on the host immune system for optimal treatment efficacy. The expression of Interferon gamma (IFN-γ) by host immune cells is often associated with favorable antitumor immune responses. How IFN-γ is optimally induced in immune cells, and how IFN-γ promotes the transcription of genes downstream of the Interferon gamma receptor (IFNGR) is incompletely understood. Understanding how to induce immune cells to express optimal IFN-γ …

Association Of Delayed Asthma Diagnosis With Asthma Exacerbations In Children, Chung-Il Wi, Euijung Ryu, Katherine S King, Jung Hyun Kwon, Joshua T Bublitz, Miguel Park, Sergio E Chiarella, Jason D Greenwood, Thanai Pongdee, Lynnea Myers, Björn Nordlund, Sunghwan Sohn, Elham Sagheb, Bhavani Singh Agnikula Kshatriya, Dave Watson, Hongfang Liu, Beverley J Sheares, Carla M Davis, Wade Schulz, Young J Juhn

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: There is a significant delay between symptom onset and diagnosis of childhood asthma, but the impact of this delay on asthma outcomes has not been well understood.

Objectives: We sought to study the association of delayed diagnosis of asthma with asthma exacerbations (AEs) in children.

Methods: Using the Mayo Clinic birth cohort, we identified children with a diagnosis of asthma from electronic health records. We defined onset date as the date when subjects first met predetermined asthma criteria ascertained by an electronic health records-based natural language processing algorithm. Delay in diagnosis (DD) was defined as first diagnosis >30 days …

Intratumoral Fibrin As A Novel Immunomodulatory Factor In Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Mazharul Karim

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In-situ coagulation is a common clinical feature of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) that presents a highly thrombotic and crosslinked insoluble fibrin (x-fibrin)-laden tumor stroma (FibTS). However, the specific impact of FibTS on immune cells behavior remains largely unexplored in this poorly infiltrated tumor. We aimed to elucidate how FibTS in PDAC regulates immune cell infiltration, polarization, and crosstalk that favors immunosuppressive microenvironment and tumor growth. We characterized human PDAC tissues by multiplex immunostaining and checked the spatial distribution of immune cells based on the presence of x-fibrin. We investigated how FibTS influences the infiltration of tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) and T-cell …

Natural Killer T Cell-Mediated Control Of Francisella Tularensis-Induced Cytokine Storm Syndrome, Cameron M. Torres

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Inflammation is critical for the effective clearance of viral and bacterial challenges, while simultaneously a mechanism utilized by many highly infectious pathogens to cause disease. The bacterium Francisella tularensis, the causative agent of human tularemia, elicits a cytokine storm, wherein the immune system over-responds to the presence of the bacterium causing a dysregulated release of proinflammatory and regulatory cytokines. Without treatment, tularemia mortality can be as high as 30%, with inhalation of as few as 10 CFUs inducing respiratory tularemia. Natural Killer T (NKT) cells are innate-like T lymphocytes with a diverse array of regulatory functions. Unlike conventional T cells, …

Resolution Of Patient’S Anaphylaxis To The Moderna Covid-19 Vaccine By Desensitization, Stefan M. Pienkowski, Marek M. Pienkowski

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Introduction

Management of patients with rare anaphylaxis to COVID-19 vaccines creates a challenge. Desensitization to medications and vaccines has proven to be effective in managing anaphylactic reactions in selected individuals with a high benefit-to-risk ratio. A previous report described the successful administration of the Moderna modified messenger RNA (MmRNA) COVID-19 vaccine via a graded dose protocol to a patient with previous anaphylaxis to the MmRNA vaccine. Our report describes successful desensitization to the MmRNA vaccine followed by administration of the full dose MmRNA vaccine.

Case Presentation

A patient with a history of chronic allergies and anaphylaxis due to insect sting …

Guillain-Barré Syndrome Following Moderna Spikevax Messenger Rna Covid-19 Vaccine: A Case Analysis, Jamie Lee Aldakkour, Alvin Boyd Newman-Caro, Hector Gonzalez-Montalvo, Usama Bardan, Guruswamy Ramamurthy

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is an acute autoimmune polyneuropathy. Cases of GBS have been reported following administration of the vaccines for swine influenza, seasonal influenza, hemagglutinin type 1 and neuraminidase type 1, and meningococcal disease. Despite these links, a causal relationship has not been confirmed.

Case Presentation

We present a case of a 70-year-old woman who presented with progressive bilateral ascending weakness and numbness and reported receiving the first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine 2 weeks prior to presentation.

Conclusion

At the time of writing, this is the first reported case of GBS following the Moderna Spikevax COVID-19 vaccine. …

Ccr7 Regulated Mechanisms That Limit The Adaptive Immune Response, Jaisel Amilcar Cervantes

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

C-C chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) is critical in guiding T cell migration within the thymus and peripheral lymphoid tissues, shaping the adaptive immune response by promoting central tolerance and regulating immune homeostasis. Although its role in lymphocyte trafficking is well established, the molecular mechanisms by which CCR7 influences thymocyte development and T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire formation remain less understood. This study examines how CCR7 deficiency impacts thymic selection, TCR diversity, and the signaling events that shape repertoire restriction. Using a homozygously deleted CCR7 murine model, we found that the absence of CCR7 results in a less restricted TCR repertoire …

Stop The Bleed! Acute Epistaxis Management, Christopher R. Cannell

Lynchburg Journal of Medical Science

Epistaxis, the most common Otolaryngology-related emergency, is responsible for one in 200 emergency department (ED) visits in the United States (US) and one-third of otolaryngology visits.^1,11 Up to 60% of the population will experience epistaxis during their lifetime, and 6% -10 % will require medical intervention.^2,3 Epistaxis occurs in children and adults and has a seasonal variation. Although 85% of nosebleeds are idiopathic, they are more frequent in those on supplemental oxygen, anticoagulation, antiplatelet therapy, and in those with other conditions that may predispose them to bleeding. Most clinicians will encounter patients with acute epistaxis; therefore, it is …