Prevention of asthma

The prevalence and increasing morbidity of allergic diseases, particularly asthma, require the development of effective prevention, which consists of better control of the environment in order to reduce the allergen load but also a reduction of the intervention of cofactors such as smoking or pollut ant gases which facilitate the development of asthma in genetically predisp osed subjects. Effective prevention must be based on precise determination of the risk factors, followed by appropriate prophylactic measure. This pre vention can be applied at the community level (fight against smoking, reduc tion of pollutant gases) and at the individual level (occupational reductio n including adequate career guidance for asthmatic adolescents). Some treat ments, especially specific immunotherapy, also appear to be able to prevent the development of nerv sensitizations and possibly the transformation of simple rhinitis into allergic asthma.