No abstract

Kuwait is a desert country where the prevailing high temperatures, low humidity, and scant vegetation suggest a low prevalence of allergy. We evaluated the prevalence of atopic sensitization (presence of allergen-specific IgE) among young adult blood donors by screening a total of 505 subjects (male: female ratio 1.6) with mean age of 28.4 years (range 18-50 years). The Pharmacia CAP-Phadiatop test, which detects serum IgE specific to most common airborne allergens, was used. Some of the specific sensitizing allergens were also identified by the related CAP-RAST method. Sensitization was detected in 223 of the 505 subjects (44.2%) screened. Kuwaiti nationals had a significantly higher prevalence rate (50.2%) than non-Kuwaitis (34.2%) (chi 2 = 8.6, P < 0.003). The highest prevalence rate was found among male Kuwaitis (53.8%). The prevalence of current or previous allergic disease (subject-reported) was 20.6%. Bermuda grass, house-dust mite (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus), and Chenopodium album were the most prevalent sensitizing allergens, with frequencies of 53.6%, 52.7%, and 50.9%, respectively, among the sensitized subjects (corresponding to 23.7%, 23.3%, and 22.5%, respectively) for the entire population. Sensitization increased with age, but only among the expatriates, younger Kuwaitis being as frequently sensitized as the older ones. Polysensitization was found to be common. Of the 109 CAP-RAST-positive subjects, 71 (65.1%) were sensitized to more than one allergen, and 30 of these (42.3%) were sensitized to four or more allergens. These results show that atopy is highly prevalent among young adults in Kuwait, and the higher prevalence rate among nationals than expatriates suggests the involvement of genetic or local environmental factors. The results also confirm that mite and plant pollens may be major sensitizing allergens even in a desert environment.

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is the most common allergic problem in Kuwait. Most of the patients who have either AR or asthma are referred to the Al-Rashed Allergy Center. Objective: To determine if there is a seasonal variation in AR in Kuwait and to correlate it with the daily pollen count. Methods: Information about the new patients referred to the center over a 5-year study period (1996–2000) was extracted from the center’s records. The daily pollen count in Kuwait city was obtained from the Air Biology Laboratory. Results: There was a significant seasonal variation with a bimodal increase in the number of patients with AR referred to the center. The main peak in the number of patients occurred in September–October, and there was a smaller peak in April–May. The mean number ± SD of new patients per month over the 5-year period varied from 87 ± 32 for December to 367 ± 104 for September. Similarly, the average daily pollen count varied from 3.7 ± 1.0 pollens per mm³ in January to 124 ± 92 in October. There was high correlation between the number of new AR patients and the average total pollen count (Pearson correlation, r = 0.77, p < 0.001), as well as with Chenopodiaceae and Amaranthaceae (weed) pollens (r = 0.75, p < 0.001), while there was no correlation between the number of new patients and either tree or grass pollens. Conclusion: Seasonal AR occurs during two periods in Kuwait, i.e. September–October and April–May, with September–October being the main season. The rise in AR during late summer in Kuwait is mainly associated with the pollination of Chenopodiaceae species.