Etiopathogenesis of allergic disaeses

Allergic diseases are the most common chronic diseases, particularly widely spread among children, adolescents and young adults. The problem is that there is an increasing incidence of allergic diseases. The causes of such a sudden increase of incidence rate are not well known. Complex interactions of environmental factors seem to play their role in the phenomenon. These include: change in the dietary and hygienic habits, progressing industrialization and increased use of numerous chemical agents. It was shown that inhabitants of highly industrialised nations, as compared to those from the developing countries, suffer from allergic diseases more frequently (most often in USA, Australia, Great Britain, Ireland and New Zealand, least frequently in Eastern Europe, Russia, China, India and Ethiopia), inhabitants of cities rather than those of rural areas, children who have no siblings rather than those from large families [1]. Knowledge of the factors that cause or influence the course of allergy is significant as it can help prevent and properly treat this disorder. It seems especially vital as in some patients allergy can manifest itself in the form of severe anaphylactic reactions, including an anaphylactic shock burdened with high risk of death.