Trends in prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis in 5-7-year old Swiss children from 1992 to 2001.

BACKGROUND: Changing occurrence rates of asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis are of public health concern and require surveillance. Changes in prevalence rates of these atopic diseases were monitored during 10 years and their trend with time was determined taking into account the influence of personal and environmental risk factors. METHODS: Four cross-sectional surveys in 5-7-year old children were performed in seven different communities in Switzerland between 1992 and 2001. Prevalence of respiratory and allergic symptoms and of affecting risk factors including parental environmental concern were assessed using a standardized parental questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 988 (74.1%), 1778 (79.0%), 1406 (82.6%) and 1274 (78.9%) children participated, respectively, in the 1992, 1995, 1998 and 2001 surveys. Prevalence rates of asthma and hay fever symptoms remained quite stable over time (wheeze/past year: 8.8%, 7.8%, 6.4% and 7.4%, sneezing attack during pollen season: 5.0%, 5.6%, 5.4% and 4.6%). Rates of reported atopic dermatitis symptoms (specific skin rash/past year: 4.6%, 6.5%,7.4% and 7.6%) showed an increase over time, but those of diagnosis of eczema did not show a clear pattern (18.4%, 15.7%, 14.0% and 15.2%). Stratified analysis by parental environmental concern and by parental atopy showed similar trends. Rates of atopic dermatitis symptoms showed significant increase in girls but stayed stable in boys. CONCLUSION: Results of these four consecutive surveys suggest that the increase in prevalence of asthma and hay fever in 5-7-year old children living in Switzerland may have ceased. However, symptoms of atopic dermatitis may still be on the rise, especially among girls.

No further increase in asthma, hay fever and atopic sensitisation in adolescents living in Switzerland.

Prevalence rates of childhood asthma and allergy have been on the increase for several decades. The present study investigated whether this trend continued during the 1990s in adolescents living in Switzerland. Between 1992 and 2000, the change in prevalence of specific immunoglobulin E to aeroallergens, asthma symptoms and hay fever symptoms assessed by parents' and students' answers to the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questions was investigated using three cross-sectional surveys. In total 1,324 (74.9%), 1,668 (80.6%) and 1,250 (73.9%) adolescents participated. Prevalence rates of asthma and current asthmatic symptoms remained constant, irrespective of whether the assessment was based on parental questionnaires or the student's self-completed written or video questionnaires (students' report of current wheeze 8.8, 7.3, and 8.3%). Similarly, no further increase was observed for reported hay fever rates and allergic sensitisation rates (positive multiscreen allergy test, SX1-test: 34.6, 38.9, and 35.6%, respectively). Although time trends in the occurrence of a series of known risk factors were recorded, none of these factors had a significant impact on asthma and allergy prevalence over time. No further increase in asthma and allergy rates occurred during the 1990s in adolescents living in Switzerland. However, to adequately assess the trend a longer period of observation is needed.

[Measles, mumps and rubella: vaccination rate and seroprevalence in 8th grade students of 8 different sites in Switzerland 1995/96]. / Masern, Mumps und Röteln: Durchimpfungsrate und Seroprävalenz bei 8.-Klässlern in acht verschiedenen Orten der Schweiz 1995/96.

In 1987, the Swiss Federal Health Office (BAG) and the Swiss cantons launched the MMR-vaccination campaign. Within the frame of the SCARPOL Study, the vaccination status of 649, 8th class students was registered and serum samples were collected. The measles, mumps and rubella specific antibody levels were determined. The vaccination rate was 84% for measles, 74% for mumps, and 62% for rubella, 55% of these children had been vaccinated with the combined vaccine MMR. The vaccination rate for the different study areas varied from 70% to 95% for measles, 42% to 94% for mumps and 18% to 89% for rubella, 92% of the children tested seropositive for measles specific antibodies, 87% for mumps and 84% for rubella. The seroprevalence for measles, mumps and rubella was significantly higher for vaccinated than for unvaccinated children. Non-Swiss children had, without exception, a higher seroprevalence rate than Swiss children. Undergoing the disease did not influence the seroprevalence for measles, but it did so for mumps and rubella, for vaccinated and unvaccinated children alike. By analysis according to study site, we observed that sites with higher vaccination rates (e.g. Grabs in Rheintal) sometimes showed a lower seroprevalence than sites with lower vaccination rates (e.g. Langnau). This was the case for all three vaccines. This, together with other observations, shows that a booster is necessary for an adequate immunisation--as a wild virus infection or as a second vaccination.