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Allergy
Statistics
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Allergies
are the 6th leading cause of chronic disease in the United
States, costing the health care system $18 billion annually.[1]
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Two
estimates of allergy prevalence in the United States are
9 percent[2] and 16 percent.[3] The prevalence of allergic
rhinitis has increased substantially over the past 15 years.[4]
-
Approximately
16.7 million office visits to health care providers each
year are attributed to allergic rhinitis.[5]
-
Estimates
of the prevalence of allergy to latex allergens in the general
population vary widely, from less than 1 percent to 6 percent.[6,7]
-
Certain
individuals, including health care workers who wear latex
gloves and children with spina bifida who have had multiple
surgical procedures, are at particularly high risk for allergic
reactions to latex. Atopic individuals (those with allergies)
are at an increased risk of developing latex allergy.[6]
-
Based
on 1988 to 1993 data, 220 cases of anaphylaxis and 3 deaths
per year are due to latex allergy.[7,8]
-
Atopic
dermatitis is one of the most common skin diseases, particularly
in infants and children. The estimated prevalence in the
United States is 9 percent.[9] The prevalence of atopic
dermatitis appears to be increasing.[10]
-
Health
care provider visits for contact dermatitis and other eczemas,
which include atopic dermatitis, are 7 million per year.[11]
-
Chronic
sinusitis is the most commonly reported chronic disease,
affecting 12.6 percent of people (approximately 38 million)
in the United States in 1996.[2]
-
In
1996, estimated U.S. health care expenditures attributable
to sinusitis were more than $5.8 billion.[12]
-
Experts
estimate that food allergy occurs in 8 percent of children
6 years of age or under, and in 1 to 2 percent of adults.[13]
Approximately 100 Americans, usually children, die annually
from food-induced anaphylaxis.[14]
-
Peanut
or tree nut allergies affect approximately 3 million Americans
and cause the most severe food-induced allergic reactions.
[15]
-
Allergic
drug reactions account for 5 to 10 percent of all adverse
drug reactions, with skin reaction being the most common
form.[1]
-
Penicillin
is a common cause of drug allergy. One clinic found 2.5
percent of their study group reacted to penicillin allergy
skin tests (IgE antibodies).[16] Anaphylactic reactions
to penicillin cause 400 deaths annually among Americans,
making penicillin allergy a more common cause of death than
food allergy.[7]
-
Acute
urticaria (hives) is common, affecting 10 to 20 percent
of the population at some time in their lives. Half of those
affected continue to have symptoms for more than 6 months.[1]
Allergy
to venom of stinging insects (honeybees, wasps, hornets, yellow
jackets, and fire ants) is relatively common, with prevalence
of systemic reactions in American adults of 3.3 percent.[16]
Between 40 and 100 Americans have been reported to die annually
from anaphylaxis to insects, although this number may be markedly
underestimated.[7]
References
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI).
The Allergy Report: Science Based Findings on the Diagnosis
& Treatment of Allergic Disorders, 1996-2001.
CDC. Fast Stats A-Z, Vital and Health Statistics, Series
10, no. 200, Table 57. 1996. Web: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_200.pdf.
The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood
(ISAAC) Steering Committee. "Worldwide variation
in prevalence of symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis,
and atopic eczema: ISAAC." Lancet 351: 1225-32. 1998.
Linneberg A et al. "The prevalence of skin-test-positive
allergic rhinitis in Danish adults: two cross-sectional
surveys 8 years apart. The Copenhagen Allergy Study."
Allergy 55: 767-772. 2000.
CDC. Fast Stats A-Z, Vital and Health Statistics, Series
10, no. 13. 1999. Web: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/allergies.htm.
Poley GE and Slater JE. "Latex allergy." Journal
of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 105 (6): 1054-62. 2000.
Neugut AL, Ghatak AT and Miller RL. "Anaphylaxis
in the United States: An investigation into its epidemiology."
Archives of Internal Medicine 61 (1): 15-21. 2001.
Sussman GL and Beezhold DH. "Allergy to latex rubber."
Annals of Internal Medicine 122 (1): 43-6. 1995.
Rudikoff D and Lebwohl M. "Atopic dermatitis."
Lancet 351(9117): 1715-21. 1998.
Boguniewicz M and Leung D. In Allergy, Principles and
Practice, 5th Ed., E. Middleton et al, ed. Mosby, St.
Louis, p. 1123. 1998.
CDC. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital and
Health Statistics Series, 1996: Vol. 13, No. 134.
Ray NF et al. "Healthcare expenditures for sinusitis
in 1996: contributions of asthma, rhinitis, and other
airway disorders." Journal of Allergy and Clinical
Immunology 103 (3 pt. 1): 408. 1999.
Sampson HA. In Allergy, Principles and Practice, 5th Ed.,
E. Middleton et al, ed. Mosby, St. Louis, p. 1162. 1998.
AAAAI Board of Directors. "Anaphylaxis in schools
and other childcare settings." Journal of Allergy
and Clinical Immunology 102 (2):173-6. 1998.
Sicherer SH, Munoz-Furlong A, Burks AW et al.: Prevalence
of peanut and tree nut allergy in the US determined by
a random digit dial telephone survey. Journal of Allergy
and Clinical Immunology 103:559-62, 1999.
Gadde J et al. "Clinical experience with penicillin
skin testing in a large inner-city STD clinic." Journal
of the American Medical Association 270:2456-63. 1993.
- NIAID is a component of the National Institutes of Health
(NIH), which is an agency of the Department of Health
and Human Services. NIAID supports basic and applied research
to prevent, diagnose, and treat infectious and immune-mediated
illnesses, including HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted
diseases, illness from potential agents of bioterrorism,
tuberculosis, malaria, autoimmune disorders, asthma and
allergies.
- News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials
are available on the NIAID Web site at http://www.niaid.nih.gov.
- Prepared by:
Office of Communications and Public Liaison
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD 2089
Additional Resources
Asthma Web Site - www.epa.gov/asthma
Biological Pollutants in Your Home, January
1990 (402-F-90-102)
Explains indoor biological pollution, health effects
of biological pollutants, and how to control their growth and
buildup. One third of all structures have damp conditions that
may encourage development of pollutants such as mold and bacteria,
which can cause allergic reactions - including asthma - and
spread infectious diseases. Describes corrective measures for
achieving moisture control and cleanliness. This brochure was
prepared by the American Lung Association and the U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission.
Indoor Allergens: Assessing and Controlling
Adverse Health Effects, Andrew M. Pope, Roy Patterson, and
Harriet Burge, editors; Committee on the Health Effects of Indoor
Allergens, Division of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention,
Institute of Medicine. National Academy Press, 1993. 308 pages.
ISBN 0-309-04831-1.
This project was supported by funds from the Environmental
Protection Agency, National Institute of Environmental Health
Sciences, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases,
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and Agency for Toxic
Substances and Disease Registry. Copies of this book are available
from the National Academy Press, 2101 Constitution Ave., N.W.,
Box 285, Washington, DC 20055. Call 1-800-624-6242 or 202-334-3313
(in the Washington DC metro area).
Indoor Air Fact Sheet No. 8 - Use and Care
of Home Humidifiers, February 1991 (402-F-91-101)
Explains that some types of home humidifiers can
disperse microorganisms from their water tanks into the indoor
air. Describes the different types of humidifiers and provides
recommendations for their use and maintenance.
Fact Sheet - Flood Cleanup: Avoiding Indoor
Air Quality Problems, August 1993 (402-F-93-005)
Discusses steps to take when cleaning and repairing
a home after flooding. Excess moisture in the home is cause
for concern about indoor air quality primarily because it provides
breeding conditions for microorganisms. This fact sheet provides
tips to avoid creating indoor air quality problems during cleanup.
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