According to the World Allergy Organization, almost 40% of the globe's population is genetically prone to severe allergic reactions. In an effort to understand the intensity of the allergy pattern in India, a clinical laboratory conducted a comprehensive study in 2014. 15.7% of people had allergy. While 43.93% of those tested positive suffered from dust allergy, 20.6% were allergic to pollens, 10.5 % to fungus and 10.3% to animal dander.
"Such a high number clearly indicates that immunity levels of people are low and factors like pollution and dust are causing severe complications," said Dr Deepak Sanghavi, deputy chief of lab services, Metropolis Healthcare, which conducted the study. "With its humid weather acting as a trigger, a city like Chennai seem to choke with respiratory issues," said Dr Mohan Kameswaran
Medical experts point out that in India allergies are often dismissed as a not-so-serious condition. But some allergies can have serious consequences. "It's easy to confuse a food allergy with a much more common reaction known as food intolerance. Today allergy blood tests are more convenient and accurate than ever before. When combined with a detailed medical history, allergy testing can identify the specific things that trigger your allergic reactions," said Dr Sanghavi.
