GENNARO
D'AMATO I
Born
in Salerno on 27.7.1946
He graduated with Honours in Medicine and
Surgery at the University of Naples in 1970. Specialized with honours in Respiratory
Diseases, Allergology and Clinical Immunology, since 1985 he is Senior Consultant
of the Respiratory and Allergic Diseases Unit of the A. Cardarelli, Highly
Specialized Hospital Administration in Naples. He teaches Respiratory Allergology
in Naples’ leading university (School of Specialization in Respiratory Diseases)
and also in the city’s School of Specialization in Respiratory Diseases, Allergology
and Clinical Immunology. Author of five books (two in Italian and three in
English) on Respiratory Allergology (publication of the latest, “The impact
of air pollution on respiratory health” is underway. It will be published
by the European Respiratory Society, with articles by twenty leading authors
in the field of Pneumology, from eight European nations. The book relevantly
focusses on the effects of air pollution on the respiratory system with increased
morbidity in asthma and chronic obstructive airways’ diseases (COAD), besides
the mortality caused by the same pathologies). Author of 319 scientific publications
on various topics centreing mainly on respiratory allergology, Prof. Gennaro
is a member of the Editorial Board of various international scientific reviews.
President of the committee on “Air pollution and respiratory allergology”
of the European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology. President
of the research group on “Asthma and Respiratory Allergology” of the Italian
Society of Respiratory Diseases. He has participated both as speaker and moderator
at many national and international scientific conferences in the field of
respiratory diseases and allergies. Prof. Gennaro’s primary interest are studies
concerning the factors that cause a rising trend in allergic respiratory diseases,
especially in cities with a high degree of air pollution where the interaction
between compounds of the same and allergens enhances this upward trend.
Thousands of patients are examined every
year in the Respiratory and Allergic Diseases Unit of the Cardarelli hospital
which has been operating for over thirty years. The unit’s most famous studies
concern aeroallergens which have been regularly captured in the atmosphere
since 1979, the first time aerobiological studies of medical-allergological
interest were performed in Italy. A calendar on allergenic pollens and their
periodic presence in the atmosphere was then prepared. Studies have since
been performed on the interaction in the atmosphere between allergenic pollens
and polluting compounds released by traffic and it has been observed that
this interaction increases the aggressive action of aeroallergens on the airways.
This can in part explain why allergic respiratory diseases, even those caused
by allergenic pollens, have greatly increased in urban areas with heavy traffic
when compared to rural areas.
Some recent publications
and books.
D’Amato G., Russo M., Liccardi G., D’Amato
M., Mistrello G., Falagiani P.: Allergen exposure and respiratory allergy:
outdoor and indoor estimation of airborne pollen allergens. In “The challenge
of asthma”.The Lancet, Lancet Conference 1997
D’Amato G., Jäger S., Mandrioli P., Frenguelli
G., Russo M., Spieksma F. Th. M.: Pollen -Related allergy in Europe.In “The
challenge of asthma”. The Lancet, Lancet Conference 1997
Liccardi G., Russo M., Carreira J., Barber
D., D’Amato M., D’Amato G. : Washing the clothes of cat owners is a simple
method to prevent cat allergen dispersion. J. Allergy Clin. Immunol 1997;100:347-348..
G. D’Amato. Outdoor air pollution and pollen-induced
respiratory allergy. Clin Asthma Reviews 1998;2:175-179.
G. D’Amato, FThM Spieksma; G.Liccardi ,
S.Jager, M.Russo, K.Kontou-Fili, H.Nikkels, B.Wuthrich, S.Bonini. Pollen-related
allergy in Europe. Position Paper of the European Academy of Allergology and
Clinical Immunology. Allergy 1998;53:567-57
G. D’Amato, G.Liccardi: Outdoor environmental
injury of the airways and development of allergic respiratory diseases. Pulm
Pharmacol Ther 1998;11:369-374.
G. D’Amato. Outdoor air pollution in urban
areas and allergic respiratory diseases. Monaldi Arch Chest. Dis 1999;6:470-74.
G. D’Amato. Urban air pollution and plant-derived
respiratory allergy: a review. Clin Exp Allergy.2000;30:628-36.
G. D’Amato, G.Liccardi, M.D’Amato. Environmental
risk factors (outdoor air pollution and climatic changes) and increased trend
of respiratory allergy. Review article. J. Invest Allergol Immunol 2000;10:123-8
G. D’Amato, G.Liccardi, M.Russo, M.D’Amato.
On the interrelationship between outdoor air pollution and respiratory allergy.
Aerobiologia 2000;16:1-6.
G.Liccardi, M.Cazzola, G. D’Amato. Pets
and cockroaches: two increasing causes of respiratory allergy in indoor environments.
Characteristics of airway sensitization and prevention strategies. Respiratory
Medicine 2000;94: 34-9
G.Liccardi, A.Custovic, M.Cazzola, M.Russo,
M.D’Amato, G. D’Amato. Avoidance of allergens and air pollutants in respiratory
allergy: A review. Allergy;2001;56:705-722.
G.D’Amato, G.Liccardi, M.Cazzola. Outdoor
air pollution, climate changes and increasing trend of respiratory allergic
diseases. Respiratory Medicine 2001 ;95:606-611.
G.D’Amato. Airborne paucimicronic allergen-carrying
particles and seasonal respiratory allergy (Editorial). Allergy 2001;56:1109-1111
Liccardi G.Cazzola M.,Russo M,Gilder JA,D’Amato
M, D’Amato G. Mechanisms and characteristics of airway sensitization to indoor
allergens. Monaldi Arch Chest Dis. 2001;56:55-63.
G.D’Amato,G:Liccardi, M.Cazzola. Outdoor
air pollution and respiratory allergy. In “D’Amato G,Holgate S. Eds “The impact
of air pollution on respiratory health”. European Respiratory Monograph,2002
BOOKS
1)D’Amato G. Allergia respiratoria da pollini
e da miceti. Lombardo Editore, Roma, Italy, 1981.
2)D’Amato G., Spieksma F. Th. M., Bonini
S. (Eds): Allergenic pollen and pollinosis in Europe. Blackwell Scientific
Publications, Oxford, U.K., 1991.
3)D’Amato G. Patologia allergica respiratoria.
Editrice Kurtis, Milano, Italy, 1993.
4)D’Amato G., Bonini S.,Bousquet J.,Durham
S.,Platts-Mills T.A.-Pollenosis 2000: A global approach. JGInt. Publisher.
2001.
5)D’Amato G., Holgate S. The Impact of
Air Pollution on Respiratory Health. Monograph of the European Respiratory
Society. 2002 In press.
