title: Allergy, asthma and markers of infections among Albanian migrants to Southern Italy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies of immigrants represent an useful tool to determine the relative relevance of environmental vs genetic factors in causing the reported rapid increase of the prevalence of sensitization and allergic diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 152 Albanian migrants to Southern Italy responded to a questionnaire based on the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) and 139 of them underwent skin prick test, and 61 serological assays for total IgE and IgG antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii (TG), herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), hepatitis A virus (HAV) and Helicobacter pylori (HP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Reported asthma was rare (2/152; 1.3%) and reported nasal allergies rather frequent (24/152; 15.8%). Sensitization to common inhalant allergens occurred in 27/139 (19.4%) subjects. The frequency of skin sensitization to pollen (P = 0.003) and that of hay fever (P = 0.004) increased with the time spent in Apulia. All the 61 sera had antibodies against HAV, 59/61 (96.7%) against HSV-1, 48/61 (78.7%) against HP and 34/61 (55.7%) against TG. The prevalence of skin sensitization and hay fever symptoms were correlated to the duration of residence in Southern Italy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data presented indicate that Albanian migrants to Italy, in spite of the low prevalence of allergic diseases and sensitization in their country of origin, manifest with time an increasing prevalence of sensitization to local allergens and nasal symptoms after immigration to Italy. This would suggest a permanent role of allergen exposure and lifestyle factors in influencing the appearance of sensitization and symptoms of allergic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Bari Medical School, Policlinico, Piazza Giulio Cesare no. 11, 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Ventura
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Munno
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giannoccaro
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Accettura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chironna
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lama
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hoxha
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Panetta
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferrigno
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rosmini
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Matricardi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barbuti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Priftanji
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tursi
mesh_terms: D000415:Albania / Q000208:ethnology; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology; D030041:Hepatitis A virus / Q000276:immunology; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000276:immunology; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008019:Life Style; D015995:Prevalence; D013997:Time Factors; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology; D014171:Transients and Migrants
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers