Regional differences in the prevalence of sensitization to environmental allergens: Analysis on IgE antibody testing conducted at major clinical testing laboratories throughout Japan from 2002 to 2011

摘要

Background: Identification of sensitized allergens for patients with respiratory allergy is an important step in disease care and environmental allergen control. The Japanese archipelago belongs to various climate categories due to its length from north to south which transverse the subarctic in the north to the subtropical in the south, suggesting substantial regional differences in dominant environmental allergens. However, few studies have assessed the regional differences in the prevalence of sensitization to environmental allergens.