Genes and asthma
Asthma tends to run in families. For most people, the risk of developing asthma is around one in 20, but if one of your parents has asthma, your risk rises to one in four. Several genes may be involved in asthma and other allergies. Some of them affect the immune system. There may be as many as 100 different genes involved. Research looks promising but it could be years before scientists know what they all are, and how they interact with other genetic and non-genetic factors.
