Ophanet, who are a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when if affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Dermatitis herpetiformis as a "rare disease". More information about Dermatitis herpetiformis is available from Orphanet
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The cause of atopic dermatitis is unknown, but a genetic predisposition may be exacerbated by such factors as food allergies, infections, irritating chemicals, temperature and humidity, and emotions. Approximately 10% of childhood cases are due to allergy to certain foods, particularly eggs, peanuts, milk, fish, soy, and wheat. Atopic dermatitis tends to flare up in response to extremes in temperature and humidity. Other causes of flare-ups are sweating and psychological stress.
An important secondary cause of atopic dermatitis is irritation, which seems to change the epidermal structure, allowing immunoglobulin (Ig) E activity to increase. Consequently, chronic skin irritation usually continues even after exposure to the allergen has ended or after the irritation has been systemically controlled.
Atopic dermatitis is most common in infants, usually developing between ages 1 month and 1 year, commonly in those with strong family histories of atopic disease. At least half of those cases clear by age 36 months. These children often acquire other atopic disorders as they grow older. Typically, this form of dermatitis flares and subsides repeatedly before finally resolving during adolescence. However, it can persist into adulthood. In adults, it’s generally chronic or recurring.
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
The term 'prevalence' of Dermatitis herpetiformis usually refers to the estimated population of people who are managing Dermatitis herpetiformis at any given time. The term 'incidence' of Dermatitis herpetiformis refers to the annual diagnosis rate, or the number of new cases of Dermatitis herpetiformis diagnosed each year. Hence, these two statistics types can differ: a short-lived disease like flu can have high annual incidence but low prevalence, but a life-long disease like diabetes has a low annual incidence but high prevalence. For more information see about prevalence and incidence statistics.
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