Allergy Facts and Figures

• Allergies can affect anyone.
• Your allergic reactions are unique to you.
• Allergies can occur for the first time at any age, even though they are more common in children. Also, in some cases, allergies may recur after many years of remission.
• Anaphylaxis is the most dangerous type of allergic reaction, and the least common.
• Overall, allergic diseases are among the major causes of illness and disability in the United States, affecting as many as 40 to 50 million Americans.
• Health experts estimate that 35 million Americans suffer from upper respiratory tract symptoms that are allergic reactions to airborne allergens.
• The respiratory symptoms of asthma, which affect approximately 11 million Americans, are often provoked by airborne allergens.
• Approximately 12 million Americans suffer from food allergy. Food-induced anaphylaxis is believed to cause 30,000 emergency room visits and between 150 and 200 deaths annually.