OR MANY YEARS THERE HAVE BEEN INFORMAL MEETINGS AND RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ALLERGOLOGISTS FROM THE LATIN MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRIES, ITALY, SPAIN AND PORTUGAL, DEVOTED TO PROBLEMS OF COMMON INTEREST SUCH AS THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE POLLEN FROM THE LOCAL FLORA AND THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF THE ALLERGIC DISEASES IN THE RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES. MOREOVER, THESE COUNTRIES STILL FOLLOW SIMILAR EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR ALLERGOLOGISTS AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGISTS.
The logical consequence of these meetings was the decision to enter into a pact of friendship and collaboration which was formalized in 2006 with the institution of SEAS (Southern European Allergy Societies).
SEAS in primarily concerned with aspects of good clinical practice such as:
► Development of collaboration in the area of applied research
► Exchange of information concerning good clinical practice in the area of health care of allergic diseases.
The comparison of postagraduate schools in Allergy and Clinical Immunology in order to standardize training programs and to promote programs for the international exchange of young specialists.
In this context, the focus of this first congress will in good part, be directed toward questions having etiological and epidemiological characteristics which are peculiar to
southern Europe. There will be many presentations
which compare and discuss the differences
and similarities between the diagnostic
and therapeutic approaches to allergic diseases
in Italy, Spain and Portugal.
The agenda which regards allergological questions
of eminently practical nature has been set
by inter-society working groups.
We will deal with many topics in our meetings
such as aerobiology, climate change, food allergies,
bronchial asthma, allergic dermatitis, Hymenoptera
venom allergy in Southern Europe,
allergy and aging, news and problems with diagnosis
in vitro, updating in immunotherapy, protocols
and techniques of desensitization in drug
allergies, anaphylaxis in clinical practice, allergic
rhinitis and conjunctivitis. Each session will see
three highly competent speakers, one from each
of the founding organizations. We will have
poster sessions and satellite symposiums.
As in every scientific meeting there will be many
news and updates. We believe that one of the
special aspects of this congress is the special
focus and the special characteristics of Southern
Europe Allergology in the highly practical nature
of the presentations and discussions.
A beautiful aria from the famous lyrical work by
Giacomo Puccini called “Gianni Schicchi” begins
with the words “Firenze è come un albero fiorito”
(Florence is like a flowering tree). The name Florence
comes from Florentia , the city of flowers,
therefore of pollens. What better place could
there be than Florence to hold the first convention
of the SEAS?
