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Allergy Statistics

General

  • A nationwide survey found that more than half (54.6%) of all U.S. citizens test positive to one or more allergens.6
  • In a recent survey, over 50% of homes had at least six detectable allergens present.23
  • Allergic diseases affect as many as 40 to 50 million Americans.24
     

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Allergic Rhinitis

  • In 2006, 8% of adults and over 9% of children had been diagnosed with hay fever in the past 12 months.1, 2
  • There were more than 12 million physician office visits because of allergic rhinitis in 2006.3
  • Allergic rhinitis affects between 10% and 30% of all adults and as many as 40% of children.4
  • The prevalence of rhinitis is around 35% in Europe and Australasia, according to the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS). 5
  • From 2000 to 2005, the cost of treating allergic rhinitis almost doubled from $6.1 billion (in 2005 dollars) to $11.2 billion. More than half of that was spent on prescription medications.10
  • Immunotherapy helps reduce hay fever symptoms in about 85% of people with allergic rhinitis.24
     

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Sinusitis

  • Sinusitis accounts for approximately 20% of office visits to specialists in allergy and immunology.21
  • Approximately 12% of Americans under the age of 45 have symptoms of chronic sinusitis.21
  • In one study, 55% of patients with sinusitis also had a history of allergic rhinitis.21
  • Sinusitis is one of the leading forms of chronic disease, with an estimated 18 million cases and at least 30 million courses of antibiotics per year.22
  • About 40,000 people have sinus surgery every year.22
     

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Drug Allergy

  • Anaphylactic reactions to penicillin cause 400 deaths.7
  • Between 6% and 10% of adverse drug reactions are allergic or immunologic in nature.15
  • Between 29% and 65% of patients with HIV/AIDS are allergic to sulfonamide drugs, compared to 2% to 4% of other individuals.16
  • Penicillin is the most common cause of drug-induced anaphylaxis.20
     

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Skin Allergies

  • About 27% of children who have a food allergy also have eczema or a skin allergy.8
  • Contact dermatitis leads to approximately 5.7 million doctor visits each year.18
  • More than 3,700 substances have been identified as contact allergens.18
  • Atopic dermatitis affects between 10% and 20% of children and 1% to 3% of adults.19
  • As many as 15% to 24% of people in the United States will experience acute urticaria (hives) and/or angioedema at some point in their lives.25
     

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Food Allergy

  • In 2007, approximately 3 million children under the age of 18 were reported to have a food or digestive allergy in the previous 12 months.8
  • The prevalence of food allergy among children under the age of 18 increased 18% percent from 1997 to 2007.8
  • Kids with a food allergy are two to four times more likely to have conditions such as asthma and other allergies.8
  • Food allergies affect about 6% of children under the age of three.11
  • Six and a half million Americans (or 2.3% of the general population) are allergic to seafood.12
  • More than 3 million people in the United States report being allergic to peanuts, tree nuts or both.13
  • More than 3% of adults have one or more food allergies.14
  • Food allergies account for 35% to 50% of all cases of anaphylaxis.20
     

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Insect Sting Allergy

  • At least 40 people in the United States die each year as the result of insect stings.17
  • Life-threatening reactions to insect stings occur in 0.4% to 0.8% of children and 3% of adults.17
  • The estimated annual economic impact of imported fire ants is $1.2 billion in Texas alone.26
     

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Latex Allergy

  • Latex allergy affects between 5% and 15% of healthcare workers, but less than 1% of the general population.9
  • Between 24% and 60% of people with spina bifida have latex allergy.9
     

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  1. Pleis JR, Lethbridge-Çejku M. Summary health statistics for U.S. adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2006. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 10(235). 2007.
  2. Bloom B, Cohen RA. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Children: National Health Interview Survey, 2006. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 10(234). 2007.
  3. Cherry DK, Hing E, Woodwell DA, Rechtsteiner EA. National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2006 summary. National health statistics reports; no 3. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2008.
  4. The Diagnosis and Management of Rhinitis: An Updated Practice Parameter. Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2008; 122: S1-S84.
  5. Janson C et al. The European Community Respiratory Health Survey: what are the main results so far? European Respiratory Journal. 2001; 18:598–611.
  6. Arbes SJ et al. Prevalences of positive skin test responses to 10 common allergens in the U.S. population: Results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005; 116:377-383.
  7. 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.
  8. Branum AM, Lukacs SL. Food allergy among U.S. children: Trends in prevalence and hospitalizations. NCHS data brief, no 10. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2008.
  9. Poley GE and Slater JE. Latex allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2000; 105:1054-1062.
  10. Soni A. Allergic rhinitis: Trends in use and expenditures, 2000 to 2005. Statistical Brief #204, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. 2008.
  11. Sampson HA. Food allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2003; 111:S540-S547.
  12. Munoz-Furlong A, Sampson HA, Sicherer SH. Prevalence of self-reported seafood allergy in the U.S. [abstract] J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2004;113(suppl):S100.
  13. Sicherer SH, Munoz-Furlong A, Sampson HA. Prevalence of peanut and tree nut allergy in the United States determined by means of a random digit dial telephone survey: A 5-year follow-up study. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2003;112:1203–1207.
  14. Sampson HA. Update on food allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2004; 113:805-819.
  15. Gruchalla R. Understanding drug allegies. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2000;105:S637-44.
  16. Greenberger PA. Drug allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2006; 117:S464-S470
  17. Stinging insect hypersensitivity: A practice parameter update. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2004; 114:869-886.
  18. Contact dermatitis: A practice parameter. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2006; 97:S1-S38.
  19. Disease management of atopic dermatitis: An updated practice parameter. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2004; 93:S1-S21.
  20. The diagnosis and management of anaphylaxis: An updated practice parameter. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005; 115:S483-523.
  21. Hamilos DL. Chronic sinusitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2000;106:213-27.
  22. Platts-Mills TAE, Rosenwasser LJ. Chronic sinusitis consensus and the way forward. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2004; 114: 1359-1361.
  23. Salo PM et al. Exposure to multiple indoor allergens in U.S. homes and its relationship to asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2008; 121: 678-684.e2.
  24. Airborne allergens: Something in the air. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. NIH Publication No. 03-7045. 2003.
  25. Urticaria: Part 1. Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. 2000; 85:525-531.
  26. Texas Imported Fire Ant Research and Management Project Web site. http://fireant.tamu.edu. Accessed June 12, 2009.

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