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Immune system and infections

Some give orders, while others ward off disease or collect the body's garbage. The immune system is built of a range of different cells with a variety of capacities that can be engaged to help protect against almost any threat to the body's health. It is also important that the immune system does not react too aggressively. If the immune system is reacting against a false enemy, problems like allergies are the result. If it begins to attack the body itself, such as in an auto-immune disease like arthritis, it can disrupt the nervous and hormonal systems and damage the joints.

Feature: Allergies

Sneezing, blocked nose, runny eyes - and that at just the time of year when people want to be outside more. It is no wonder that many people with hay fever want to find alternatives to allergy medication. In our fact sheets we report on an alternative that is becoming more popular in Europe: specific immunotherapy - and what parents can do to try to prevent their children getting allergies.

Feature: Common cold

What is the common cold? How is it different from the flu? The cold is an infection that is usually caused by viruses and develops over a few days. It usually starts with a scratchy or sore throat.

Feature: Influenza

Influenza ("the flu") is not an ordinary cold. It hits harder, making you feel very ill very quickly, but symptoms usually improve within a week. Babies and toddlers, people who are over 65 and people with certain chronic diseases have a considerably higher risk of flu-related complications. There are several things you can do to lower the likelihood of infection.

Research summaries

Allergies: Can specific immunotherapy injections reduce hay fever and other forms of allergic rhinitis?

Repeated injections of tiny amounts of the specific substance that cause a person's allergic reactions can reduce hay fever symptoms. This specific immunotherapy or "desensitisation" needs to be continued for several years. There is a small chance of a dangerous reaction to the injection that would need immediate medical treatment. more...

Allergies: What are the advantages and disadvantages of various antihistamines?

Of out of several antihistamines for allergy symptoms, loratadine might have some advantages for people with allergic rhinitis and urticaria. Cetirizine might cause more sleepiness than some of the other drugs, but this is not certain. more...

Allergy and food intolerance: Can soya baby formulas prevent them?

Soy formula has not been shown to protect high-risk babies from developing allergies or food intolerance. more...

Urinary tract infections: Do antibiotics help?

Three or more days of antibiotics almost always ensure that the symptoms of an uncomplicated urinary tract infection will go away quickly. Taking antibiotics over five days or more can get rid of the last of the bacteria causing the infection, but the longer the treatment, the more adverse effects there are. more...

Common colds: Can antibiotics help?

The adverse effects of antibiotics probably outweigh the benefits of antibiotics for uncomplicated colds. They might be worthwhile only when a cold does not get better as fast as usual or there is bacterial infection. more...

Common colds: Can vitamin C prevent or relieve them?

Taking vitamin C every day does not prevent colds for most people. People will not recover from a cold more quickly if they start to take vitamin C when the symptoms of a cold start. Taking vitamin C every day could shorten the amount of time you are sick with colds by a very small amount. more...

Common colds: Wait before trying antibiotics?

If there does not appear to be any medical need for antibiotics to treat a simple cold, waiting one to two days can avoid unnecessary adverse effects. more...

Common colds: Should we follow the "drink more fluids" advice?

There is no medical reason to drink more than you feel like drinking when you have a cold. more...

Sore throats: Do antibiotics help?

Antibiotics can shorten sore throats caused by infections by less than day. There are adverse effects, though, so that weighing up the pros and cons is an individual exercise. more...

Babies with high risk of allergy: Could prebiotics in infant formulas make a difference?

Infant formulas containing prebiotics might be able to prevent the development of eczema in babies who are at high risk of allergies, but they have not been tested enough to be sure. So far, none of the breast milk substitutes has been shown to provide better protection than breastfeeding. more...

Fatigue in autoimmune diseases: Which non-drug treatments can help?

Tailored physical exercise programmes and energy conservation techniques can reduce fatigue in people who have multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. more...

Influenza: Do antiviral drugs like Tamiflu work and what are their adverse effects?

Antiviral influenza drugs can make flu symptoms go away a bit sooner. But they only help if they are taken within 48 hours after a person becomes ill. They can cause nausea and other adverse effects too. more...