Allergy: half of Europe concerned in 2015

Half of Europeans could become allergic to 2015, said the president of the French Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (SFAIC), Professor Gabrielle Pauli (CHU Strasbourg) during the first French Congress of Allergology in Paris.

Currently in France, the prevalence (total number of cases per year) is more than 20%, which represents 15 million people affected.

But "these figures, suggesting a real public health problem, not émeuvent person because allergies are not considered life-threatening diseases," for his part lamented Professor Pascal Demoly (CHU Montpellier).

"However, since the beginning of the year, three fatal cases were reported to the allergy and coordinated by the University Hospital of Nancy network has identified 50 accidents requiring emergency. Everyone is also not declared" reported Dr. Jean-Pol Dumur, president of the National Association of training in allergy (Anaforcal).

Continuing to advocate for the recognition of allergy, it stated that "the cost of diagnosis and care less medical wanderings, the cost of medicines and hospitalization patients misdiagnosed and therefore mistreated" and that indirect costs associated with work stoppages-up two to three times lower.

At the opening press conference of the Congress, the President of the Anaforcal hoped that "the founder of the whole community allergy act raise awareness" of the government but also the people.

In its statement, the Snaf also calls allergic "to defend all the allergy." A study is underway with patient organizations to "take steps in consultation," concluded Dr. Farid Marmouz, allergist at Pontoise