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Background: Studies of immigrants represent an useful tool to determine the relative relevance of environmental vs genetic factors in causing the reported rapid increase of the prevalence of sensitization and allergic diseases., Methods: A total of 152 Albanian migrants to Southern Italy responded to a questionnaire based on the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) and 139 of them underwent skin prick test, and 61 serological assays for total IgE and IgG antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii (TG), herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), hepatitis A virus (HAV) and Helicobacter pylori (HP)., Results: Reported asthma was rare (2/152; 1.3%) and reported nasal allergies rather frequent (24/152; 15.8%). Sensitization to common inhalant allergens occurred in 27/139 (19.4%) subjects. The frequency of skin sensitization to pollen (P = 0.003) and that of hay fever (P = 0.004) increased with the time spent in Apulia. All the 61 sera had antibodies against HAV, 59/61 (96.7%) against HSV-1, 48/61 (78.7%) against HP and 34/61 (55.7%) against TG. The prevalence of skin sensitization and hay fever symptoms were correlated to the duration of residence in Southern Italy., Conclusions: Data presented indicate that Albanian migrants to Italy, in spite of the low prevalence of allergic diseases and sensitization in their country of origin, manifest with time an increasing prevalence of sensitization to local allergens and nasal symptoms after immigration to Italy. This would suggest a permanent role of allergen exposure and lifestyle factors in influencing the appearance of sensitization and symptoms of allergic diseases.

Three-hundred and thirty-three patients with respiratory allergic disease from southern Italy, a zone characterized by interesting environmental conditions, were studied from 1983-1986 in order to determine their salient epidemiological features. The classic allergological diagnostic procedures (history, skin Prick test and RAST) were utilized. Studies have confirmed the prevalence, in pre-puberty, of respiratory allergic disease in males and Dermatophagoides sensitization. The importance of olive pollen, which is the most common pollen sensitization in children with the tendency to be asthmogen is illustrated. Data concerning the distribution of sensitizations between rural and urban environments are discussed.