Allergies are a pervasive medical condition affecting more than twenty percent of Americans - with symptoms ranging from the mild discomfort of a runny nose and watery eyes, to the sometimes fatal shock of a bee sting. Written by two experts in the field, The Encyclopedia of Allergies includes more than 1,000 entries that provide invaluable and current information on every aspect of this condition. Coverage includes allergens, symptoms and treatments, inherited allergies, occupationally and environmentally induced allergies, asthma, statistics, food allergies, allergy researchers, AIDS and allergies, antihistamines, and more.