Dr. Pedro Morais Silva

Doctor

HPA Units

Languages

Português, Inglês, Alemão, Espanhol, Francês

From

July 2014

soualergico.com

Food allergy is a growing public health concern, affecting more than 17 million people in Europe alone. Among them, 3.5 million European sufferers are younger than 25 years old and the sharpest rise in food allergies is amongst children and young people. Furthermore, the number of severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), due to food allergies, is also increasing. Modern food habits and the increasing use of processed foods have also created new challenges for this serious health issue.

Allergy symptoms usually occur rapidly and may be fatal. The only known way to avoid having a reaction is to strictly avoid all responsible allergenic foods. This eviction is not always easy, as some allergens are hidden in commercially available products. Food allergy constitutes a burden, which considerably affects physical and psychological well-being, as food labels must be thoroughly evaluated and the fear of hidden allergens is always present.

The University of the Algarve and the Allergy Clinic of HPA Saúde have recently developed an online platform to help families with food allergy. The website soualergico.com allows to easily and intuitively identify the presence of food allergens in commercially available foods. Its use is free of charge and allows creating printable shopping lists of allergen-free products in a variety of categories. Additionally it also provides useful information about food allergy and intolerance (currently in Portuguese only).

Works with the HPA Group since July 2014.

Education

Master of Science Degree in Medicine attributed by the Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon

Medical Residency in Allergology and Clinical Immunology in the Santa Maria Hospital, Lisbon

Professional Activity

Specialist Physician in Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the Algarve Hospital Center, Portimão

Scientific Activity

Assistant lecturer in the Algarve Medical University

Awarded member of the Portuguese and European Academies of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (SPAIC, EACCI)

Author and collaborator of several medical articles in the fields of food allergy and chronic urticaria

Languages Spoken

Portuguese, English, German, Spanish and French

Fields of Interest

- Respiratory Allergy (Allergic Asthma, Rhinitis and Sinusitis)

- Food Allergy and Intolerance

- Drug Allergy

- Ocular Allergy

- Eczema

- Urticaria

- Immune Deficits

- Proficient in Allergy Skin Prick and Epicutaneous Tests