Alergolog

Alergolog, or allergist, is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and management of allergic and immunologic diseases. Their work covers conditions caused by abnormal immune responses to environmental substances, including allergic rhinitis, asthma, atopic dermatitis, food allergies, insect venom allergies, and drug allergies, as well as certain primary immunodeficiencies and other immune-mediated disorders.

Training for an alergolog typically involves completing a medical degree followed by a residency in internal medicine or pediatrics and a fellowship in allergy and clinical immunology. In many countries, board certification or recognition by a national college or academy confirms expertise in this field. Continuous education is common to stay current with evolving diagnostics and treatments.

Key components of an alergolog’s practice include comprehensive clinical evaluation, detailed patient history, and specialized testing. Diagnostic tools commonly used are skin prick testing and serum-specific IgE testing, oral food challenges for suspected food allergies, spirometry and bronchoprovocation testing for asthma, and nasal or dermal assessments. Component-resolved diagnostics and, in some settings, patch testing for contact dermatitis may also be employed.

Treatment aims to reduce symptoms, prevent reactions, and improve quality of life. Management may involve avoidance strategies, pharmacotherapy such as antihistamines, intranasal steroids, inhaled corticosteroids, bronchodilators, and epinephrine for anaphylaxis, as well as leukotriene receptor antagonists. Allergen immunotherapy, delivered subcutaneously or sublingually, is used for certain aeroallergens and venom allergies. Education on emergency action plans and coordination with other specialists is typical.

Alergologi work in clinics, hospitals, or academic centers and collaborate with primary care providers, pulmonologists, dermatologists, ENT specialists, and dietitians. The scope and terminology can vary by country, but the central goal remains the effective diagnosis and long-term management of allergic and immune-related diseases.