title: Why are allergies increasing?
abstract: The incidence of atopic allergy is increasing in certain 'Western' countries but this remains unexplained. Various hypotheses with differing amounts of evidence and/or relevance have been assessed, including increased awareness of the diseases, improved diagnostics, genetic susceptibility, psycho-social influences, allergen exposure, decreased immune-system stimulation, underlying disease, anti-allergic therapy and pollution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergy Biederstein, Technical University Munich, Biedersteiner Strasse 29, D-80802, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ring
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Krämer
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Behrendt
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007239:Infections / Q000150:complications; D018448:Models, Immunological; D015995:Prevalence; D012922:Social Change
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens