Atopy Models

MODELS TO EXPLAIN ATOPY

  • Both asthma and eczema have reached epidemic proportions in the past century, and many believe that it is unlikely that genes that modify susceptibilty have changed in this short time.

  • Therefore, the increase must be due to a change in as-yet unidentified environmental factors.

  • Increases in exposure to house-dust mites and other allergens have not been sufficient through numerous studies.

  • Air pollution has also been effectively excluded. This is in light of the fact that many pollutants, including CO, sulfas and nitrates, have all decreased greatly in the past 30 years, however, atopy has increased exponentially still.

References:

Kay AB. Allergy and allergic diseases. Second of two parts. N. Engl. J. Med. 344, 109-113 (2001)

Cookson W. The immunogenetics of asthma and eczema: A new focus on the epithelium. Nature Reviews Immunology 4, 978-988 (2004)