dc.contributor.author | Obihara, C.C. | |
dc.contributor.author | Beyers, N. | |
dc.contributor.author | Gie, R.P. | |
dc.contributor.author | Hoekstra, M.O. | |
dc.contributor.author | Fincham, J.E. | |
dc.contributor.author | Marais, B.J. | |
dc.contributor.author | Lombard, C.J. | |
dc.contributor.author | Dini, L.A. | |
dc.contributor.author | Kimpen, J.L.L. | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2020-03-19T10:40:08Z | |
dc.date.available | 2020-03-19T10:40:08Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2006 | |
dc.identifier.citation | Obihara CC, Beyers N, Gie RP, Hoekstra MO, Fincham JE, Marais BJ, et al. Respiratory atopic disease, Ascaris-immunoglobulin E and tuberculin testing in urban South African children. CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY | en_US |
dc.identifier.issn | 0954-7894. | |
dc.identifier.uri | https://infospace.mrc.ac.za/handle/11288/595234 | |
dc.description.abstract | Background Epidemiological relation of intestinal helminth infection and atopic disease, both
associated with a T-helper (Th) 2 immune response, is controversial, as it has been reported
that helminth infection may either suppress or pre-dispose to atopic disease. This relation has
not been tested in an area with a high burden of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection,
a known Th1-stimulating infection.
Objective To study the association of intestinal helminth infection and atopic disease in a
community where helminth infection is endemic and MTB infection is high.
Methods Three-hundred and fifty-nine randomly selected children aged 6–14 years from a
poor urban suburb were tested with allergy questionnaire, skin prick test (SPT) to common
aeroallergens, Ascaris-specific IgE (Ascaris-sIgE), fecal examination for pathogenic intestinal
helminths and tuberculin skin testing (TST). Histamine bronchoprovocation was tested in the
group of children aged 10 years and older. Results were corrected for demographic variables,
socioeconomic status, parental allergy, environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure in the
household, recent anthelminthic treatment and for clustering in the sampling unit.
Results Ascaris-sIgE was elevated in 48% of children, Ascaris eggs were found in 15% and
TST was positive in 53%. Children with elevated Ascaris-sIgE had significantly increased risk
of positive SPT to aeroallergens, particularly house dust mite, atopic asthma (ever and recent),
atopic rhinitis (ever and recent) and increased atopy-related bronchial hyper-responsiveness.
In children with negative TST (o10 mm), elevated Ascaris-sIgE was associated with
significantly increased risk of atopic symptoms (adjusted odds ratio (ORadj) 6.5; 95%
confidence interval (CI) 1.9–22.4), whereas in those with positive TST (X10 mm) this
association disappeared (ORadj 0.96; 95% CI 0.4–2.8).
Conclusions These results suggest that immune response to Ascaris (Ascaris-sIgE) may be a
risk factor of atopic disease in populations exposed to mild Ascaris infection and that MTB
infection may be protective against this risk, probably by stimulation of anti-inflammatory
networks. | en_US |
dc.description.sponsorship | We thank all the parents and children who participated in
this study. We are indebted to Prof. P.C. Potter (Allergy
Diagnostic and Clinical Research Unit, University of Cape
Town, South Africa) for the serum IgE analyses and
allergy diagnostics. We are also indebted to Ann Toerien
for carrying out the allergy and tuberculin skin tests,
Jerome Cornelius for the successful fieldwork and Dr Vera
Adams (Nutritional Intervention Research Unit, Medical
Research Council of South Africa, Cape Town, South
Africa). We also thank Edwin Videler and Johan Mouton
(Lung Function Laboratory of the Department of Respiratory
Medicine, Stellenbosch University), and Rita van
Deventer (Parasitology Reference Unit, National Institute
for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory
Services, Johannesburg, South Africa).
Sources of support and grants: C.C.O is a recipient of a
grant from the Ter Meulen Fund, Royal Netherlands
Academy of Arts and Sciences. This study was funded by
the Stellenbosch University (through funding from the
South African Department of Trade and Industry, THRIP
fund) and the Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital, University
Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands. | en_US |
dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
dc.publisher | Blackwell Publishing Ltd. | en_US |
dc.relation.url | http://explore.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/display.do?tabs=detailsTab&gathStatTab=true&ct=display&fn=search&doc=ETOCRN186433978&indx=1&recIds=ETOCRN186433978. | en_US |
dc.rights | Attribution 3.0 United States | * |
dc.rights.uri | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/ | * |
dc.subject | Ascaris specific IgE | en_US |
dc.subject | Atopic disease | en_US |
dc.title | Respiratory atopic disease, Ascaris-immunoglobulin E and tuberculin testing in urban South African children | en_US |
dc.type | Article | en_US |
dc.contributor.department | Biostatistics Unit, Medical Research Council of South Africa | en_US |
dc.identifier.journal | Clinical and Experimental Allergy | en_US |
dc.research.unit | Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform | en_US |
dc.date.epub | 2006-05 | |