Majority of Population Sensitive To At Least One Common Allergen

Allergy Study

New research finds that the majority of Americans are sensitive to one or more common allergens, according to a study featured in the August 2005 Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI).

Samuel J. Arbes, Jr., DDS, MPH, PhD, and researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases found that 54.3% of the United States population, aged 6 to 59 years, had a positive allergy skin test to at least one of 10 common allergens. The findings were from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), a nationally representative survey conducted from 1988-1994.

The study on allergy also found:

• An individual with a positive skin test reacted to an average of 3 to 5 allergens.

• The most common reactions were to dust mites, rye grass, ragweed and cockroach, which accounted for approximately 25% of the United States population represented in the study.

• The least common reactions were to peanut, accounting for 9%.

• The prevalence of a positive skin test response was significantly higher in NHANES III than in NHANES II, which was conducted from 1976-1980.

A positive skin test response is a risk factor for allergic diseases, such as asthma, hay fever and eczema. Although it cannot be concluded that the increases in positive skin test response rates observed between NHANES II and NHANES III represent an increase in allergy prevalence of the United States population, the increase is consistent with studies from other countries.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This study was published in the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI).

The AAAAI is the largest professional medical specialty organization in the United States representing allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists, allied health professionals and others with a special interest in the research and treatment of allergic disease. Allergy/immunology specialists are pediatric or internal medicine physicians who have elected an additional two years of training to become specialized in the treatment of asthma, allergy and immunologic disease. Established in 1943, the AAAAI has more than 6,000 members in the United States, Canada and 60 other countries. The AAAAI serves as an advocate to the public by providing educational information through its Web site at www.aaaai.org - MILWAUKEE