The epidemiology of allergy is becoming increasingly important as mounting evidence indicates that the prevalence of allergic diseases is rising in many countries. This book gives a broad view of the epidemiology of allergy, concentrating on the more common allergic diseases. To facilitate consultation, most of the chapters conform to the same basic structure, dealing in turn with definitions and methods, frequency, clinical picture and natural history. New topics include food allergy, insect sting allergy and drug allergy, while separate chapters present genetic aspects and environmental factors that promote or prevent allergy.
