ENVIRONMENTAL-FACTORS FACILITATING ALLERGIC SENSITIZATION AND ATOPIC MANIFESTATION IN EARLY-CHILDHOOD

Of the 7609 infants in the German Multicenter Atopy Study, 1314 were s tudied prospectively. Among these, 499 infants (38%) were considered a t high risk with two or more atopic first degree family members and/or a cord blood IgE value above 0.9 kU/1. The incidence of recurrent whe ezing and atopic dermatitis was high during the first three months of life. Wheezing in infants less than two years of age was often associa ted with high specific serum antibody level for respiratory syncytial virus. IgE antibodies to dust mite and cat were observed in 1.1 - 5.5% and 2.5-5.3% of samples during the first 3 years of life. At the age of three years, children who had been exposed tobacco before or after birth had a higher prevalence of sensitization to foods. The aim of pr imary allergy prevention studies should be to reduce exposure to indoo r allergens and tobacco smoke. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.