title: Asthma in Latin America.
abstract: Consistent with the diversity of Latin America, there is profound variability in asthma burden among and within countries in this region. Regional variation in asthma prevalence is likely multifactorial and due to genetics, perinatal exposures, diet, obesity, tobacco use, indoor and outdoor pollutants, psychosocial stress and microbial or parasitic infections. Similarly, non-uniform progress in asthma management leads to regional variability in disease morbidity. Future studies of distinct asthma phenotypes should follow-up well-characterised Latin American subgroups and examine risk factors that are unique or common in Latin America (eg, stress and violence, parasitic infections and use of biomass fuels for cooking). Because most Latin American countries share the same barriers to asthma management, concerted and multifaceted public health and research efforts are needed, including approaches to curtail tobacco use, campaigns to improve asthma treatment, broadening access to care and clinical trials of non-pharmacological interventions (eg, replacing biomass fuels with gas or electric stoves).
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, Allergy, and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Erick
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6497-9885
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Forno
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, Allergy, and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Mudita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gogna
authors.affiliation: Fundación Hospital Universitario Metropolitano, Laboratorio de Alergia e Inmunología, Universidad Metropolitana, Barranquilla, Barranquilla, Colombia.
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cepeda
authors.affiliation: Division of Allergy and Immunology, Servicio de Alergia e Inmunología Clínica, Hospital Aeronáutico Central, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Anahi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yañez
authors.affiliation: Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Dirceu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Solé
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Investigaciones FEPIS, Quinindé, Esmeraldas, Ecuador Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George's University of London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.affiliation: Hospital Nacional de Niños, San José, Costa Rica.
authors.forename: Lydiana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Avila
authors.affiliation: Hospital Nacional de Niños, San José, Costa Rica.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soto-Quiros
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pediatrics and Public Health, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Jose A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Castro-Rodriguez
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, Allergy, and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Juan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Celedón
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007843:Latin America / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Asthma; Asthma Epidemiology; Asthma Genetics; Paediatric asthma