Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of allergic diseases in school children in Aydin and to compare the results of other studies.

Materials and Methods: A total of 3813 children aged 6-7 years and 13-14 years were randomly selected from twenty four primary schools in Aydin in 2009 and they were examined by using ISAAC (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood) questionnaire. The questionnaire forms were completed by adolescents aged 13-14 years and parents of children aged 6-7 years.

Results: The overall prevalence of lifetime wheezing, current wheezing, physician-diagnosed asthma, lifetime rhinitis, current rhinitis, physician-diagnosed allergic rhinitis, lifetime chronic itchy lesions, current chronic itchy lesions and physiciandiagnosed atopic dermatitis were 30.8%, 19.3%, 17.1%, 30.4%, 25.7%, 8.3%, 9.6%, 7.8% and 2.9% in younger children respectively and 21.1%, 13.1%, 11.0%, 42.4%,34.6%, 7.8%, 12.0%, 7.4% and 2.8% in adolescents respectively.

Conclusions: The prevalence of allergic diseases was found to be higher in Aydin rather than the other regions of Turkey as reported in epidemiological studies. This study provides data for preventing the health problems due to allergic diseases in Aydin and additionally establishes a step for future studies in order to find out the probable etiological factors.