World Allergy Week 2018

From 22 to 28 April, 2018, the World Allergy Organization (WAO) is using World Allergy Week (WAW) to focus attention on atopic dermatitis (AD), including the role of food allergy in the condition, quality of life concerns, new treatment options, the socio-economic burden and the importance of skin care.

The 2018 theme for WAW is Atopic Dermatitis/Eczema: An Itch that Rashes.

On the topic of atopic dermatitis/eczema, within AllerGen, CHILD Study research recently shed light on the role of AD in infancy as a harbinger of the later development of asthma or allergic rhinitis, a progression known as “the atopic march.” Analyzing data from more than 2,300 children participating in CHILD, the research found that children at one year old who have eczema or AD and who are sensitized to an allergen, are seven times more likely than other infants to develop asthma, and significantly more likely to have a food allergy by age three.

In 2017, research led by Dr. Nicole Letourneau, an investigator within AllerGen’s Gene-Environment Interactions Enabling Platform, showed that low maternal sensitivity increases the risk for AD, which may contribute to the development of childhood asthma later on.

For more information on WAW 2018 and related resources, including online resources on atopic dermatitis, visit the WAO site.