Allergic sensitization in healthy school children in Kuwait: an emerging public health concern

ABSTRACT

To determine the current level of sensitization in healthy school children in Kuwait. Prospective cross-sectional study. Al-Rashid Allergy Center, Kuwait. Healthy school-children between the ages of 8 -15 years. Skin prick test [SPT] and measurement of serum specific IgE levels. Skin wheal diameter [> 3 mm] and IgE levels [> 0.35 KIU/1]. 47% of children showed positive specific IgE levels and 38% showed a positive SPT to at least one allergen. Poly-sensitization was common in the population [IgE 32%, SPT 20%]. One in three [31%] children showed sensitization to Bermuda Grass [IgE], around one in five showed sensitization to Prosopis juliflora tree [20% IgE], grass mix [19% SPT], to cockroach [18% IgE, 12% SPT] and just slightly less to cat [15% IgE and SPT]. One in 10 healthy children were sensitized to dog [11% IgE, 10% SPT], few to house dust mite [D pteronyssinus] [IgE 8%, SPT 4%], ascaris [IgE 7%]. The lowest rates of sensitization were to Alternaria alternata [IgE 4%, SPT 2%], aspergillus [SPT 4%], and cladosporium [SPT 2%]. Frequent, severe sensitization [Classes 3-6 for specific IgE] was found for Bermuda Grass [16%], prosopis tree [6%] and cat allergen [5%]. Kuwait may be an example of conflict between two aspects of public health endeavour in a desert environment. Practices that make the desert habitable, viz, aforestation and air-conditioning may be the same ones that encourage exposure to allergens, allergic sensitization and allergic disease