'Allergies on the rise in Jordan' 

(MENAFN - Jordan Times) Respiratory allergies are on the rise in the Kingdom, especially among children, a consultant allergist and immunologist said on Sunday.

Anan Faqih, member of the Jordanian Association of Chest Physicians, said the latest study conducted on the prevalence of allergies among Jordanians in 2010 showed that 18 per cent of children had allergies compared to 15 per cent in 2001.

The same study showed that the prevalence of allergies among adults was 15 per cent in 2010, compared to 12 per cent in 2001.

The leading allergy in Jordan is dust, followed by olive blossoms, which cause pollen allergies, and grass.

Faqih explained that there is no specific age for developing allergies.

"If symptoms appear at a young age, the allergy might be curable, but if it affects a person while he is in his twenties, it is not curable," he said.

Speaking at a lecture organised by LG yesterday, Faqih noted that allergies can be diagnosed through a test on the skin or the blood.