Atopy in medical students.

Personal and immediate family histories of symptomatic atopy (asthma, eczema or allergic rhinitis) and reactivities on allergen skin prick testing were assessed in 165 medical students. Over-all, 43.0% showed a positive skin prick test to one or more allergens, 32.7% had symptomatic atopy and 55.8% had positive immediate family histories. Although the over-all incidence of skin prick test atopy is comparable with previously reported studies, the prevalence of personal and family symptomatic atopy is high in this population, especially in the female students who were significantly more likely than the males to have atopic symptoms and immediate family histories of atopic symptoms.