The association between atopy and asthma in a semirural area of Tanzania (East Africa).
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.
Sunyer
J
J
Unitat Recerca Respiratòria i Ambiental, IMIM, Barcelona, Spain.
Torregrosa
J
J
Anto
J M
JM
Menendez
C
C
Acosta
C
C
Schellenberg
D
D
Alonso
P L
PL
Kahigwa
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003058:Cockroaches / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D012423:Rural Health; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology
D000485:Allergens; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D006023:Glycoproteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E