| Summary: | Introduction and Objectives: In Africa, few studies of sensitization profiles have been performed in children or adolescents and, in Angola, there are none. The objectives of the present study were to assess the sensitization profile of Angolan schoolchildren and to determine the relationship between that pattern, sociodemographic factors, asthma, and other allergic diseases. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional, observational study in 5-14-year-old children, performed between September and November 2017, in the Province of Bengo, Angola. Five schools (15%) were randomly selected in the geographical area of the study: three from an urban area, and two from a rural area. Data were collected using the Portuguese versions of the ISAAC questionnaires for children and adolescents, regarding asthma, rhinitis, and eczema. Skin prick tests (SPT) were performed with a battery of 12 aeroallergens. Stools were assessed for the presence of helminths. Descriptive statistics were used, as well as a univariate calculation of odds ratios. Results: Sensitisation to aeroallergens was low (8%) and most sensitized children were asymptomatic. Most frequent sensitizations involved house dust mites, cockroaches, or fungi, and a high proportion of children (78.1%) were monosensitized. No relationship was detected between sensitizations and asthma, rhinitis or eczema. Place of residence, gender, age or helminthic infection did not affect the probability of having positive SPTs. Conclusions: The most frequent sensitizations in children from Bengo Province in Angola involve house dust mites, followed by cockroaches and fungi. No relationship was found between atopic sensitization and asthma or other allergic diseases.
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