Allergy Risks Related Iraq Service

Week of March 31, 2008

A new study suggests that U.S. Servicemembers who serve in Iraq may be at increased risk of developing allergies. A review of the medical records of more than 6,000 servicemembers shows that those who were deployed to the Persian Gulf were about twice as likely to have newly diagnosed allergic rhinitis (nasal allergies) after discharge, compared with those who were stationed stateside. The findings were presented recently at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunotherapy (AAAAI) and held true for both men and women. According to the Department of Defense, 13 percent of U.S. Army medic visits in Iraq are for new allergies, asthma, and other respiratory ills.