Methods: To assess the prevalence of allergic diseases and sensitization to aeroallergens in workers (W) and students (S) of libraries in Universities, was made a cross-sectional study using a standard questionnaire International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood and performed skin prick tests for immediate hypersensitivity (SPT). This scientific study was approved by the Ethics Committee.
Results: The total study sample of 207 subjects, 94 (45.4%) representatives of W and 113 (54.6%), the group of S. Of all participants, 115 (55.6%) were female and 92 (44.4%), male. The mean age was 23 years, ranging between 17 and 64 years old. Of these subjects, 123 (59.4%) underwent immediate hypersensitivity skin test, 72 (58.5%) belonging to the group W and 51 (41.5%) to the group S. Only 84, were not tested by exclusion criteria or does not appear to perform. The prevalence of active asthma was 16.9%, with no difference between groups (W = 17.0%, S = 16.8%), allergic rhinitis, the overall prevalence was 61.4%, with 58.5% for W and 63.7% for S. In the case of atopic eczema, overall prevalence was 10.6%, 13.8% and 8% for S and W members. The average SPT was positive in 17.4%. The highest percentage of positivity was checked for mites (D. pteronyssinus: B. tropicalis and 42.3%: 34.1%), followed by cockroaches (B. germanica: 23.6% and American P:17.1 %).
Conclusions: There was no significant difference in the prevalence of allergic diseases in both groups. What, in general, was also observed in the positivity of skin tests.