The Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy at the Royal Adelaide Hospital provides a specialist service for the diagnosis and management of allergic and immunologic diseases affecting the respiratory system, skin, gastrointestinal tract and other systems.
For any patients who require emergency/immediate assessment, they should be sent directly to the emergency department. Furthermore there are immunologists available on call.
Relevant conditions include:
- Anaphylaxis
- Angioedema with threat to the airway
- Acute severe asthma
- Autoimmune disease/vasculitis with organ threat
URGENT REFERRALS
For any urgent referrals please contact the RAH switchboard: (08) 7074 0000.
During office hours: Ask for Allergy and Immunology Registrar to discuss the patient.
After hours: Ask for an On call Immunology Consultant to discuss an urgent clinic appointment.
Outpatient information
The Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy provides a specialist service for the diagnosis and management of allergic and immunologic diseases affecting the respiratory system, skin, gastrointestinal tract and other systems.
Outpatient referrals should be faxed to (08) 7074 6247.
For further information / appointment queries, contact the Outpatient Call Centre on 1300 153 853.
Our Clinical Immunologists deal with conditions in 3 main areas:
- Allergy - immunological reaction against harmless substances
- Immunodeficiency - increase in the frequency or severity of infections
- Autoimmunity – immunological reaction against the self.
We provide outpatient clinical services as well as consultation to hospital inpatients, day-patient admissions for procedures, and inpatient admissions to the medical ward under an Immunology consultant.
Our services / procedures
- Clinical consultation
- Skin prick testing for allergy diagnosis
- Immunotherapy/Desensitisation for allergy treatment
- Challenge testing for diagnosis of food, drug allergy.
| Condition | Likely Triage Category | Information required to determine urgency/ Prerequisite information |
| Anaphylaxis | Rapid Access Urgent Semi-Urgent | Severity - hypotension, collapse adrenaline treatment, admitted to hospital Cause - known, unknown, avoidable Recurrence Has/has not EpiPen |
| Food allergy | Semi-Urgent Non-Urgent | Severity of reactions Known/unknown food Multiple foods Nutritional impact |
| Rhinitis/Sinusitis
| Semi-Urgent Non-Urgent | Interference with daily activities Response to medications Nasal obstruction, anosmia Sinus infections |
| Asthma | Urgent Semi-Urgent Non-Urgent | Severity of attacks, symptoms Response to medications Likely allergic triggers |
| Assessment for immunodeficiency | Semi-Urgent Non-Urgent | Severity, frequency of infections Immunoglobulin levels Infectious pathogens, antibiotic requirement Atypical infections, family history |
| Drug/Contrast Allergy | Urgent Semi-Urgent Non-Urgent | Urgent indication for suspected drug allergen Multiple allergies/limited options Nature of previous adverse reactions |
|
| Semi-Urgent Non-Urgent | Duration, severity of urticaria Association with systemic symptoms Response to antihistamines |
| Angioedema | Urgent Semi-Urgent | Frequency, severity Involvement of airway |
| Eczema | Non-Urgent | Primary referral to dermatology Allergic trigger suspected? |
| Periodic fever/ Autoinflammatory syndrome | Semi-Urgent Non-Urgent | Fever, rash, organ involvement, family history |
| Mast cell disorder | Urgent Semi-Urgent Non-Urgent | Anaphylaxis, recurrent mastocytosis attacks Organ, systemic involvement Predominant cutaneous involvement |
| Vasculitis- GPA, EGPA | Urgent Semi-Urgent | New diagnosis, organ involvement, eosinophil counts, inflammatory markers |
| Systemic autoimmune disease SLE, Sjogren’s syndrome, dermatomyositis | Urgent Semi-Urgent Non-Urgent | Active inflammation, organ threatening Unwell, progressive disease Positive blood tests without signs |
Services we provide / clinical conditions appropriate for referral:
- Anaphylaxis to drugs, insects, foods and unknown cause
- Urticaria and angioedema
- Hereditary Angioedema
- Drug allergy
- Allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis
- Non-allergic rhinitis
- Allergic and non-allergic sinusitis, nasal polyposis
- Asthma, allergic and non-allergic
- Eczema
- Venom and aeroallergen immunotherapy
- Systemic vasculitis including GPA
- Food allergy
- Eosinophilic oesophagitis, gastroenteritis
- Mast cell disorders
- Immunological lung diseases such as bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, EGPA
- Systemic autoimmune disorders such as SLE, Sjogren’s syndrome, dermatomyositis
- Systemic autoinflammatory diseases
- Immunodeficiency, hereditary and acquired (not HIV).
What we don’t see / Conditions excluded from service:
- Irritable bowel syndrome/suspected food intolerance (except on referral or recommendation from gastroenterologist)
- Large local reactions to insect stings
- Chronic fatigue syndrome/multiple chemical sensitivity/fibromyalgia (except where there is a good reason to suspect allergy, autoimmunity or immunodeficiency)
- Contact dermatitis (refer to dermatology)
- Acute or chronic urticaria which has remitted (unless allergic cause suspected)
- Children under 18 yrs
- Patients being treated for same condition at other hospital.
Fact sheets
- Chronic Urticaria (PDF 952KB)
- Food-related gastrointestinal symptoms/IBS (PDF 952KB)
- Large local reactions to insect stings (PDF 950KB)