Atopy

Atopy ( /ˈætəpi/; Greek ἀτοπία - placelessness, out of place, special, unusual) or atopic syndrome is a predisposition toward developing certain allergic hypersensitivity reactions. Atopy may have a hereditary component, although contact with the allergen must occur before the hypersensitivity reaction can develop . The term "atopy" was coined by Coca and Cooke in 1923. Many physicians and scientists use the term "atopy" for any IgE-mediated reaction (even those appropriate and proportional), but many pediatricians reserve the word "atopy" for a genetically mediated predisposition to an excessive IgE reaction. Atopy (atopic syndrome) is a syndrome characterized by a tendency to be “hyperallergic”. A person with atopy typically presents...