Sensitization to furry animals in an urban atopic population living in Naples, Italy.

摘要

Most studies on the sensitization to domestic animals have been carried out in Northern Europe and in rural areas, where the rate of ownership is high. Very few studies have been carried out in populations living in large urban areas (1). In these areas, the prevalence of sensitization to furred animals, its clinical characteristics, and modality of exposure are poorly known. Moreover, it has been shown that exotic or nontraditional pets have become more prevalent in allergy literature because of commercial or personal use (2).