Comparative Allergen Profile in the Krishna-Godavari regions

Allergic diseases are amongst the most common chronic disorders worldwide. Over 20% of the world population suffers from immunoglobulin E-mediated allergic diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, eczema and anaphylaxis. In India alone, 20% of the population suffers from allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma. Airway allergy is now considered to be a disease which is not confined to a specific target organ, but rather a disorder of the whole respiratory tract. Epidemiological, experimental and clinical observations have suggested a link between rhinitis and asthma, leading to the definition of allergic rhinobronchitis or united airway disease and the concept of ‘one airway one disease’. Aeroallergens play a major role in the pathogenesis of respiratory allergic diseases. Skin tests are the cornerstone for the identification of causative allergens and selection of therapy, including environmental control and immunotherapy. The Krishna and Godavari regions are two of the nine coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh with varied environmental pollutants like cotton dust, granite dust and stone crushings, besides being a potential agricultural area. These areas have high prevalence of naso-bronchial allergies. With this background, the present study was done to study the skin sensitivity to various allergens by skin prick testing in patients of naso-bronchial allergy, visiting the Department of Pulmonology, Katuri Medical College and Hospital, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India, and to compare the prevalence of various allergens among the Krishna and Godavari regions.