Respiratory Quiz - Module 2

Asthma was very uncommon in traditional rural settings but has been increasing steadily over the past 40 years.

The rate of increase of asthma has been faster in rural than urban areas, so that the prevalence in rural areas is now higher.

The reason for the increase in asthma prevalence has to do with the environmental exposures of susceptible individuals affecting the genetic possibility for them expressing the disease.

Asthma occurs in about....

Written questionnaires assess the prevalence as higher than that of physician diagnosed asthma

 Written questionnaires assess the prevalence as higher than that of asthma diagnosed by video questionnaires

When using written questionnaires, asthma rates increased in the ISAAC studies in South Africa between 1995 and 2002, but the rates in the video questionnaires remained the same, indicating that the perception of an increase is due to language and cultural factors.

Asthma is clinically defined as a disease with symptoms of recurrent reversible upper airway obstruction.

Presenting complaints of asthma are recurrent wheeze with or without cough triggered by multiple stimuli including viral infections, allergens, irritants (pollution), exercise and sudden emotional changes (e.g. crying, laughing)

Asthma is now the most common chronic disease in South African children

Naturally-occurring infections and microbial exposure do not appear to protect children against developing asthma

There is an increasing tendency to acquire Western-style bedding and carpeting for homes in the rural areas which leads to a  higher number of children that suffer from allergies.

The early use of antibiotics appear to alter the immune system towards an allergic profile rather than having its normal protective function