The most common cause of allergic reactions was contact with cats – they accounted for about a third of all cases, birch took second place, and weeds took third place.
Krasnoyarsk scientists together with their colleagues studied the allergen profile in children with allergic diseases from different regions of Russia. They found differences in the causes of allergies, which depend on climate conditions, diet and other factors. The results of the study may help develop individual approaches to the treatment and prevention of allergies. The results of the study were published in the journal Cytokines and inflammation.
The prevalence of allergies is increasing throughout the world. According to the World Health Organization, up to 40% of the population of our planet and up to 35% of the population of Russia are susceptible to allergies. Allergies can occur due to genetic predisposition, environmental factors and lifestyle factors and can manifest in a variety of ways, including skin reactions, respiratory problems, gastrointestinal disorders and anaphylactic shock.
Scientists from the Krasnoyarsk Scientific Center SB RAS, together with colleagues from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Chelyabinsk and Kaliningrad, assessed individual combinations of allergens in children with allergic diseases from various regions of Russia. Experts have discovered differences in the causes of allergies in the northern, southern, western and central parts of Russia. The results obtained make it possible to create the basis for a personalized medical approach to the treatment and prevention of allergies.
Experts analyzed data from different regions of Russia. The northwestern region was represented by St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad, the central region by Moscow, the southern region by Rostov-on-Don, the south of the Urals by Chelyabinsk, Siberia by Krasnoyarsk, and the Far East by Khabarovsk and Vladivostok. A separate group consisted of children from the regions of the Far North: Taimyr, Evenki and Turukhansk districts. The study involved children aged 2 to 12 years with allergic symptoms. The scientists looked at the concentrations of total allergen-specific immunoglobulin IgE in the blood of patients. Based on the data obtained, they formed a set of allergens to which the body is highly sensitive.
The study showed a wide variety of clinical manifestations of allergies, while in more than 60% of cases, they are combined and manifested by several symptoms. Allergic rhinitis was most often recorded – up to 65% of cases, and in Rostov-on-Don and Chelyabinsk, representing the southern regions, its prevalence exceeded 75%. Bronchial asthma was the second most common – it was registered in 45% of patients. The largest number of patients with bronchial asthma lived in Moscow and Vladivostok, the smallest number was registered in the north of the Krasnoyarsk Territory and St. Petersburg. Atopic dermatitis ranked third at approximately 22%. Most patients with this disease were in the north of the Krasnoyarsk Territory and Khabarovsk. Allergic conjunctivitis was found in 15% of cases. Just like allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis was more common in Rostov-on-Don and Chelyabinsk, and less common in Khabarovsk and Vladivostok. Urticaria was observed in less than 8% of children. Most often it was observed in St. Petersburg and Krasnoyarsk, least often in Chelyabinsk and Khabarovsk.
Experts have found that the most common cause of allergic reactions was contact with a cat – about 34% of cases. Birch took second place – 28%. Weeds were the cause of allergies in 21% of cases. Fourth place was taken by house dust allergens – about 17% and milk – 16%, then dogs – 15%. With the exception of birch, allergic reactions to trees amounted to 13%, to egg white – 10%, to cereal grasses – 5%. Allergic reactions to other allergens such as casein, hazelnuts, peanuts, cockroaches, rabbits and hamsters were uncommon. At the same time, in more than half of the cases, the researchers found sensitivity to two or more allergens.
The researchers noted that Russia has low rates of peanut and wheat allergies among children compared to other regions of the world. Experts have linked this to dietary habits: children do not often eat peanuts and their products. At the same time, reduced sensitivity to wheat may be associated with its early introduction into the diet, which leads to the development of resistance to this product.
Scientists also analyzed the specific causes of allergies in different regions of Russia. For example, in the south of the country and in Vladivostok, children are more likely to be allergic to house dust. Increased susceptibility to mold is typical for Kaliningrad, Rostov-on-Don, Khabarovsk, Vladivostok and the north of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Sensitivity to guinea pigs and rabbits is noted in Moscow, in St. Petersburg – to cockroaches, and Chelyabinsk – to hamsters. Among food allergens, milk is the most common. The exception is Kaliningrad, where sensitivity to milk is half as high as in other regions, but in this city a reaction to eggs is twice as common. Allergies to fish and seafood were common in Vladivostok, Moscow, Rostov-on-Don, Chelyabinsk, Krasnoyarsk and in the north of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. At the same time, it is almost not observed in St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad and Khabarovsk – traditionally fishing cities. Reactions to nuts, in particular hazelnuts, were often found in the north of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Many children from Chelyabinsk have been found to be highly sensitive to chicken meat and apples.
Among herbal allergens, experts have identified a group of cities where sensitivity to wormwood and ragweed is often observed. It included Moscow, Rostov-on-Don, Chelyabinsk and Krasnoyarsk. Only in the Far East and Moscow was increased sensitivity to dandelion detected, and in children of the Far North a reaction to birch was more often observed.
“Allergic diseases, primarily in children, are becoming an increasingly common problem in the world. In different geographic regions, sensitivity to allergens depends on genetic characteristics, racial and ethnic composition, as well as a combination of climate factors, flora and fauna, eating habits, cooking methods and lifestyle. This determines the individual allergy profile of the region and is of great importance for the development of prevention and treatment methods. Our studies, covering almost the entire territory of Russia, allow us to analyze sensitivity to the main allergens in children with allergy symptoms depending on the region of residence. Similar studies are needed for other regions. The data obtained will allow us to provide a personalized approach to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of allergic diseases of the local population.”– said Alexander BorisovCandidate of Medical Sciences, leading researcher at the Research Institute of Medical Problems of the North.
The study also involved specialists from the National Medical Research Center for Phthisiopulmonology and Infectious Diseases (Moscow); Research Clinical Institute of Childhood of the Ministry of Health of the Moscow Region (Moscow), Institute of Experimental Medicine (St. Petersburg), South Ural State University (Chelyabinsk), Children’s Regional Hospital of the Kaliningrad Region, Regional Clinical Hospital of the Kaliningrad Region. The material was prepared with the support of a grant from the Russian Ministry of Education and Science within the framework of the federal project “Popularization of Science and Technology.”
Based on materials from the press service of the Krasnoyarsk Scientific Center SB RAS.
Source: www.nkj.ru
