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Influence of poverty and infection on asthma in Latin America.
- Source :
-
Current opinion in allergy and clinical immunology [Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol] 2012 Apr; Vol. 12 (2), pp. 171-8. - Publication Year :
- 2012
-
Abstract
- Purpose of Review: Asthma in Latin America is a growing public health problem and seems to be most prevalent and cause most morbidity among poor urban populations. This article will review the findings of recent human studies of the associations of asthma prevalence in Latin America with factors associated with poverty and inequality including childhood infections, stress, environment, nutrition and diet.<br />Recent Findings: Most asthma in childhood in Latin America is nonatopic and has been associated with exposures related to environmental dirt, diet and psychosocial distress. These factors are strongly linked to poverty and inequality. Interestingly, infections with bacterial, viral and parasitic pathogens in childhood appear to attenuate atopy in childhood but have no effect on asthma symptoms. There are biologically plausible mechanisms by which dirt exposures (e.g. endotoxin and other microbial products and nonmicrobial irritants), diet and obesity and psychosocial stress may cause airways inflammation.<br />Summary: Most childhood asthma in Latin America is nonatopic for which important risk factors are those of poverty including poor hygiene (i.e. dirt), poor diet and obesity and psychosocial stress. There is evidence that exposures to infections in early childhood reduce atopy but not asthma. Research is needed to identify causes of nonatopic asthma that may be suitable for primary prevention or other public health intervention strategies for asthma in Latin America.
- Subjects :
- Asthma microbiology
Diet statistics & numerical data
Environmental Exposure statistics & numerical data
Female
Humans
Latin America epidemiology
Male
Obesity epidemiology
Obesity microbiology
Parasitic Diseases epidemiology
Parasitic Diseases microbiology
Risk Factors
Soil Microbiology
Stress, Psychological epidemiology
Stress, Psychological microbiology
Urbanization
Violence statistics & numerical data
Asthma epidemiology
Bacterial Infections epidemiology
Poverty statistics & numerical data
Virus Diseases epidemiology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1473-6322
- Volume :
- 12
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Current opinion in allergy and clinical immunology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 22391754
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1097/ACI.0b013e3283510967