| Summary: | The prevalence of asthma and allergy is increasing. It is estimated that over 20% of the world's population suffer from immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated allergic diseases such as asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, eczema, and anaphylaxis. Asthma, which in more than 50% of adults and in at least 80% of affected children is allergic, occurs in around 5-15% of the pediatric population. Asthma is estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO) to affect 150 million people worldwide, placing an enormous strain on health resources in many countries, and is a major cause of hospitalizations for chronic diseases in children in the western world. Prevention of Allergy and Allergic Asthma was a collaborative project between the World Allergy Organization (WAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) [1]. This document is a condensed version of the full Prevention of Allergy and Allergic Asthma Report [2]. The strategic guidelines in this document have been developed to provide a sound basis for practical action to be taken by governments, health care professionals, lay organizations, and patients.
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