It is known that asthma is one of the leading serious chronic illness affecting children in the United States. It is largely accepted that gene-environment interactions are responsible for the development of asthma; allergic sensitization has been demonstrated to be one of the major risk factors. While there appears to be a rather clear relationship between allergen exposure and allergic sensitization, a dose-response relationship is mostly relevant for “susceptible” individuals. Allergic multi-sensitization has increased significantly in the last few decades with young age, family history of allergy and urban living being identified as significant risk factors for allergic sensitization. Moreover, the changes in lifestyle and environment in the recent decades have modified the specific risk factors which predispose to the development of asthma. 

Collectively, this review article suggests that there is a connection between environmental changes and allergic sensitization which contributes to the risk of developing asthma. Identifying the changing patterns of allergens and understanding their predictive ability in relation to asthma and other allergic diseases is crucial for the design of personalized diagnostic tools for the management of the chronic illness. 

Keywords: Asthma; Allergic Sensitization; Allergens.