Allergy and Pediatric Allergy and Immunology are the official organs of the European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology

Abstract

Usually medical societies have one official organ whichoften is a peer-reviewed journal. For example, the Journalof Allergy and Clinical Immunology is the official organof the American Academy of Allergology, Asthma andImmunology (AAAAI), the Annals of Allergy, Asthmaand Immunology represents the American College ofAllergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) and ClinicalExperimental Allergy represents the British Society forAllergy and Clinical Immunology (BSCAI). However, theWorld Allergy Organization has two officials organs:Allergy Clinical Immunology International (ACII) andInternational Archives of Allergy and Immunology(IAAI).Uniquely, the European Academy of Allergology andClinical Immunology (EAACI) has two mutually com-plementary official organs: Allergy and Pediatric Allergyand Immunology (PAI). The reasons for explaining whyEAACI is involved in these two publications are histor-ical but they are also supported by the current and futureinterests of EAACI.Acata Allergologica was the official EAACI organsince the founding organization of the Academy and usedto publish papers in other languages than English.Subsequently, the journal was renamed Allergy andonly published papers in English. The journal has beenpublished for the past 60 years. Gunnar Bendixen was itseditor for many years until 1992 when Prof SGOJohansson became the editor-in-chief. Gunnar made thejournal what it is now, by improving its quality, intro-ducing regular reviews, series and editorials and thejournal peaked an impact factor of 3.6 in 2002 (1). TheJunior Members and Junior Affiliate Members representa group of more 1000 clinicians and scientists under theage of 35. During previous years, EAACI has developedspecific activities and promotions to support the andincrease the influence of the younger members (2). Thus,a new series, the Junior Member Forum, was thereforeintroduced in Allergy in September 2002 in order topublish the work of young scientists together with theirmentor (3). Papers published in this series cover sciencefrom bench to bedside.In January 2003, Jean Bousquet had the pleasure anddifficult task to continue Gunnar’s work (4). With arenewed board of Associate Editors reflecting the EAACIsections (Asthma: Marc Humbert, Clinical Immunology:Hans-Uwe Simon, Dermatology: Thomas Bieber, ENT:Wystke Fokkens and Pediatrics: Bodo Niggemann) andthe importance of Central European countries (MarekKowalski), we have introduced new topics such as Newsand Commentaries or the European Union Forum (5).The contents of Allergy should reflect EAACI sectionsand interest groups. It is clear that during the past threeyears Allergy has tried to publish reviews, editorials,position papers and commentaries which are encapsula-ting all fields of Allergy and Clinical Immunology(Table I). Some key articles such as the revised nomen-clature for allergic diseases were also published in Allergy(6). Moreover, important educational papers such as theCore Curiculum for the training in Allergology andClinical Immunology are in Allergy (7, 8)Allergic diseases start early in life and the prevalence ofallergic diseases is higher in children and adolescents bycomparison with that in adults and rates are stillincreasing. Furthermore, asthma and related allergicand respiratory diseases constitute the commonest causesof morbidity in childhood with around 30% of primarycare consutlations and 20% of hospital admissions.Immunologically driven diseases are common and ofJ. Bousquet