title: Epidemiology of allergic diseases.
abstract: At present there is international interest in MA. Different factors are responsible: the severity and prevalent frequency of these diseases; the health cost that they create: more adequate diagnosis and treatment. Understanding of the epidemiology, pathological mechanisms, favouring factors, the start and development of the disease, is essential to establish a diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Several factors trigger MA, with hereditary disposition and allergen exposure the most significant. Without these two associated factors the disease does not appear. However, there are other factors that play an important part in the prevalence of the allergic state and its development. Some are concerned with the individual (age, sex, race), others with the environment (pollution, socio-economic, environment, infections...). The author has devoted this article to analysis of these individual factors.
authors.affiliation: Sección de alergología, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid.
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Losada Cosmes
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000235:genetics; D012737:Sex Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens