Like, is it when a small portion of a population has an adverse resction to something most of the species can handle just fine (i.e. a peanut allergy)? Or can it be a species thing? Like humans how get horribly itchy when the touch poison ivy, but other animal species eat the leaves and be just fine.
Would it be right to say that humans are allergic to poison ivy? If we’re not allergic, then is there another term for it?
Also, if it’s not an allergy, then where is the line drawn? I know there are a ton of people with pollen allergies, it seems pretty common. What percentage of the overall population makes an “allergy” a(n) [new term]?
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There is a classification system of hypersensitivity, the “Gell and Coombs classification,” that denotes 4 types of hypersensitivity. Type I hypersensitivity is considered an allergy, while types II-IV are considered different types of hypersensitivity. Type I hypersensitivity involves IgE antibodies and that’s what makes it unique. Other types involve different antibodies.
This classification system is somewhat antiquated and doesn’t have much clinical significance. The validity of it is debated and will likely change at some point.
TLDR: if it involves IgE antibodies, it’s considered an allergy. All other immune responses are considered hypersensitivities.
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