Allergy Practice Worldwide: A Report by the World Allergy Organization Specialty and Training Council

Vol. 139, No. 2, 2006

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Allergy Practice Worldwide: A Report by the World Allergy Organization Specialty and Training Council
John O. Warner^a, Michael A. Kaliner^b, Carlos D. Crisci^c, Sergio Del Giacco^d, Anthony J. Frew^a, G.H. Liu^e, Jorge Maspero^f, Hee-Bom Moon^g, Takemasa Nakagawa^h, Paul C. Potterⁱ, Lanny J. Rosenwasser^j, Anand B. Singh^k, Erkka Valovirta^l, Paul Van Cauwenberge^m

^a Southampton General Hospital Centre, Southampton, UK;
^b Institute for Asthma and Allergy, Bethesda, Md., USA;
^cDepartment of Allergy and Immunology, National University of Rosario, Rosario, Argentina;
^dDipartimento Di Scienze Mediche Internistiche, Policlinico Universitario, Cagliari, Italy;
^e China;
^f Buenos Aires San Jose Cine a Foundacion, Buenos Aires, Argentina;
^g Department of Allergy/Rheumatology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea;
^h St. Marianna University, Toyoko Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, Kawasaki, Japan;
ⁱ Cape Town University, UTC Lung Institute, Cape Town, South Africa;
^j National Jewish Medical & Research Center, Denver, Colo., USA;
^k Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi University Campus, New Delhi, India;
^l Turku Allergy Center, Turku, Finland;
^m University Hospital Gent, ENT Department, Gent, Belgium

Address of Corresponding Author

Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2006;139:166-174 (DOI: 10.1159/000090502)

Key Words

Allergy, specialty and training
Allergy disease prevalence
Allergy practice

Abstract

In 2004 the World Allergy Organization's Specialty and Training Council conducted a survey of World Allergy Organization (WAO) member societies to obtain information about the status of the specialty of allergy worldwide. Responses were received from 33 countries, representing a population of 1.39 billion people, of whom it was estimated that 22% may suffer from some form of allergic disease. Allergy was reported by 23 respondents to be a certified or accredited specialty in their country, and the number of certified allergists per head of population ranged from 1:25 million to 1:16,000. Allergists were ranked as the fifth most likely clinicians to see cases of allergic asthma, third most likely to see allergic rhinitis, and fourth most likely to see eczema or sinusitis. Nine countries only reported that children with allergic diseases would be seen by a pediatrician with appropriate training. The survey results highlight a pressing need for the development of allergy services worldwide.

Author Contacts

Correspondence to: Karen Henley (Staff Liaison)
Global Project Director World Allergy Organisation
96 Vanbrugh Park, Blackheath
London, SE3 7AL (UK)
Tel. +44 208 293 8515, Fax +44 208 355 9632, E-Mail khenley@worldallergy.org

Article Information

Published online: December 23, 2005
Number of Print Pages : 9
Number of Figures : 3, Number of Tables : 4, Number of References : 17

Medline Abstract (ID 16388197)

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