High prevalence of allergic diseases and sensitization in a low allergen country

Background: The prevalence of adult atopic diseases in Iceland is lower than in other West European countries, despite an affluent lifestyle, but limited data are available on children. The main aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of atopic diseases and sensitivity to common allergens in 10‐ to 11‐year‐old Icelandic schoolchildren as part of phase II of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Children (ISAAC).

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