The epidemiological and allergic features of asthma in the New Guinea Highlands

Summary Asthma in the New Guinea Highlands is of interest because of its reported rarity. In the Eastern Highlands, seventy‐one cases of asthma were investigated over a 12 month period. In addition, a whole village community of 2000 people was examined for wheezing illness. In children and adolescents asthma was extremely uncommon with no case being identified in the community study and the youngest hospital case being 10 years old. The prevalence of active asthma in adults was estimated to be 0.2–0.3%. Compared with European countries, the age at onset was much later with 58% starling after the age of 30 years. The sex ratio was almost equal. Cutaneous sensitivity to allergens was assessed using the prick lest. In asthmatics, reactions to D. pteronyssinus were positive in all cases. Multiple sensitivities were common and did not diminish with increasing age at onset. In 335 unselected controls of all ages, 19% were positive to allergens, 14% of them to D. pteronyssinus. D. pteronyssinus was identified in ail house dust samples from both village and urban dwellings. Asthma occurred in both traditional and European‐influenced environments, but the importance of social change remains uncertain.