Recent advances in the genetics of allergy and asthma

Asthma is a common condition that results from the interaction of an unknow n number of genes with environmental factors. About 10% of children have as thma, usually as part of a syndrome of atopy, which is characterized by the presence of allergy, asthma, seasonal rhinitis and eczema, and tends to oc cur in familial clusters. The incidence of asthma is lower in adults (5%) a nd a significant proportion is seen without an atopic background. The preva lence of asthma has increased substantially over the past decades, particul arly in the western world. Allergy and asthma are not inherited as single-g ene disorders and do not show a simple pattern of inheritance. Environmenta l and genetic factors interact in a complex fashion to produce disease susc eptibility and expression. Here, we, describe the recent advances in the un derstanding of the inherited susceptibility to asthma and atopy and discuss their potential implications.