CHILDHOOD ANAPHYLAXIS: NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

CHILDHOOD_ANAPHYLAXIS_NEW_DEVELOPMENTS _IN_DIAGNOSIS_AND_TREATMENT_kapak

DEFINITION AND HISTORY OF ANAPHYLAXIS

Ayşe Cavidan Sonkur1 Mustafa Arga2

1İstanbul Medeniyet University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Immunology and Allergic Diseases, İstanbul, Türkiye
2İstanbul Medeniyet University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Immunology and Allergic Diseases, İstanbul, Türkiye

Sonkur AC, Arga M. Definition and History of Anaphylaxis. In: Harmancı K, editor. Childhood Anaphylaxis: New Developments in Diagnosis and Treatment. 1st ed. Ankara: Türkiye Klinikleri; 2025. p.3-10.

ABSTRACT

Anaphylaxis is a rapid-onset allergic reaction that, although rare, can lead to death and involves systemic involvement. In addition to the immunologic pathway mediated by Immunoglobulin E (IgE) and the release of mediators from mast cells and basophils, anaphylaxis can also occur through non-immunologic mechanisms that are not IgE-mediated. The term “idiopathic anaphylaxis” is used to describe situations in which a patient exhibits clinical features of anaphylaxis, but no identifiable cause can be found. The first description of anaphylaxis in history was made in 1902 by scientists Charles Richet and Paul Portier. These two researchers, aiming to induce tolerance against toxins from marine organisms, decided to continue their research together after a scientific voyage at sea. Through their experiments, they discovered that a substance not normally strong enough to kill an animal could cause death in an animal previously sensitized to the same substance. They initially named this phenomenon “aphylaxis” (from Greek: a meaning against, and phylaxis meaning protection), which was later changed to “anaphylaxis.” In 1913, Charles Richet was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of anaphylaxis. In the following years, many studies were conducted by scientists on anaphylaxis. In 1968, two independent research groups Kimishige Ishizaka and Teruko Ishizaka, and Hans Bennich and Gunnar Johansson, presented their findings on the IgE molecule, which plays a crucial role in anaphylaxis, to the World Health Organization (WHO), and the IgE molecule was officially identified. This discovery marked a breakthrough in the fields of allergy and immunology. Idiopathic anaphylaxis was first described in 1978 by Bacal and colleagues. Since the discovery of anaphylaxis, there has not been a universally accepted definition for it worldwide. Over the years, various international guidelines have proposed different definitions. Although there are minor differences among these definitions, they all agree that anaphylaxis is a serious, systemic, and potentially life-threatening hypersensitivity reaction. We respectfully honor all the scientists who have contributed to the understanding of anaphylaxis, a major milestone in medical history.

Keywords: Anaphylaxis; Childhood; History; Definition; Discovery; Nobel prize

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