Asthma and related allergic diseases are a public health problem in adolescents from Luanda. Preventive and control measures should be implemented.

Background: Epidemiological data have shown that the prevalence of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema in children is still increasing, namely in Africa. However, there are no epidemiological studies on asthma or allergic diseases in Angolan children. Objective: To study the prevalence of asthma and other allergic diseases in Angolan children. Methods: Descriptive, observational, cross-sectional study, using the ISAAC study methodology, in the province of Luanda, Angola in 6-7-yearold children. Forty-six (8.3%) public schools were randomly selected. Data were analysed using the SPSS Statistics version 24.0 software. Results: A total of 3080 children were studied. Results showed that the prevalence of asthma (wheezing in the previous 12 months) was 15.8%, that of rhinitis (sneezing, runny or blocked nose in the previous 12 months) was 19% and that of eczema (itchy skin lesions in the previous 12 months) was 22%, without differences between sexes. Rhinitis was associated with a higher number of episodes of wheezing episodes, disturbed sleep and night cough, in children with asthma. Rhinitis, eczema, Split-type air conditioning system, antibiotic intake in the child's first year of life, frequent intake (more than once per month) of paracetamol and active maternal smoking were associated with a higher risk of having asthma, whereas electrical cooking was associated with a protective effect. Conclusion: Asthma and allergic diseases are highly prevalent in children from Luanda. A strategy for preventive and control measures should be implemented.

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Epidemiological studies have shown conflicting findings on the relationship between asthma, atopy, and intestinal helminth infections. There are no such studies from Angola; therefore, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between asthma, allergic diseases, atopy, and intestinal helminth infection in Angolan schoolchildren. We performed a cross-sectional study of schoolchildren between September and November 2017. Five schools (three urban, two rural) were randomly selected. Asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema were defined by appropriate symptoms in the previous 12 months: atopy was defined by positive skin prick tests (SPT) or aeroallergen-specific IgE; intestinal helminths were detected by faecal sample microscopy. In total, 1023 children were evaluated (48.4% female; 57.6% aged 10–14 years; 60.5% urban). Asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, or eczema were present in 9%, 6%, and 16% of the studies children, respectively. Only 8% of children had positive SPT, but 64% had positive sIgE. Additionally, 40% were infected with any intestinal helminth (A. lumbricoides 25.9%, T. trichiura 7.6%, and H. nana 6.3%). There were no consistent associations between intestinal helminth infections and asthma, allergic diseases, or atopy, except for A. lumbricoides, which was inversely associated with rhinoconjuctivitis and directly associated with aeroallergen-specific IgE. We concluded that, overall, intestinal helminth infections were not consistently associated with allergic symptoms or atopy. Future, preferably longitudinal, studies should collect more detailed information on helminth infections as part of clusters of environmental determinants of allergies.

Background: In recent decades, the prevalence of allergies has increased, especially in children. In Africa, few studies have evaluated allergic sensitisation and in Angola, none. The aim of this study was to evaluate the profile of allergic sensitisation in children with asthma and other allergic diseases.Method: This was a cross sectional study, using the methodology of the International Study of Asthma and Allergic Diseases in Children (ISAAC), conducted from September to November 2017 in 5 to 14 year-old children in the Bengo Province, Angola. Out of total of 33 public schools, 5 (15%) were randomly selected, 3 in urban and 2 in rural areas. Allergic sensitisation was defined by positive skin prick tests (SPT) and/or positive inhalant Phadiatop. Data were analysed with SPSS Statistics v25.0. Results:The sample consisted of 1023 children, 48% girls, 58% 10-14 year-old, 61% living in urban areas. Of these children, 8% had positive SPT with most frequent sensitisation being to mites (B.tropicalis, D.farinae, D.pteronyssinus) and cockroach mix, without statistically significant differences between sexes, age and urban or rural area residents. About 56% children were monosensitised, 44% were polysensitized, and most sensitized children (55%) were asymptomatic. No significant differences in allergen sensitisation patterns were observed among atopic children who were asymptomatic, had asthma, rhinitis or eczema. 15/05/2021 Allergic sensitisation and relationship with asthma and other allergic diseases in children in the province of Bengo, Angola | Europe… https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/54/suppl_63/PA4500 2/5Conclusion: Allergic sensitisation to dust mites, cockroach mix and fungi is the most frequent pattern observed in 5-14 year old Angolan children in Bengo but this was not different between sensitised children with and without allergic diseases.