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The association between atopy and asthma in a semirural area of Tanzania (East Africa)
Author(s) -
Sunyer J.,
Torregrosa J.,
Anto J. M.,
Menendez C.,
Acosta C.,
Schellenberg D.,
Alonso P. L.,
Acosta C.,
Schellenberg D.,
Kahigwa E.,
Kahigwa E.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.363
H-Index - 173
eISSN - 1398-9995
pISSN - 0105-4538
DOI - 10.1034/j.1398-9995.2000.00657.x
Subject(s) - atopy , asthma , immunoglobulin e , medicine , immunology , tanzania , allergy , odds ratio , antibody , environmental science , environmental planning
Background: Atopy is consistently associated with asthma, except in a study in Africa. We assessed the association between atopy and asthma in women from a semirural area of Tanzania (East Africa). Methods: All pregnant women delivering at the district hospital during a 1‐year period were recruited ( n =658, 60.6% of those selected). Asthma was investigated by a standard questionnaire and atopy by specific IgE (immunoglobulin E) antibodies to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p 1) and cockroach. Results: The prevalence of wheezing chest was 10.7%; of asthma, 3.5%. Levels of specific IgE of >0.35 kU/l (73%) and high levels of total IgE (62% higher than 1000 kU/l) were highly prevalent. Specific IgE antibody levels in sera were not associated with asthma (3.8% of women with negative specific IgE to any antigen had asthma in comparison to 4.0% of women with positive specific IgE; odds ratio [OR]=1.06, 0.35–3.22). Total IgE was not different between women with asthma and women without asthma ( P =0.36). Conclusions: In tropical regions, the association between allergy and asthma is complex, and specific IgE reactivity to environmental allergens may not be related to asthma.