Asia Pac Allergy.  2012 Apr;2(2):122-128. 10.5415/apallergy.2012.2.2.122.

Impact of helminth infection on childhood allergic diseases in an area in transition from high to low infection burden

• Amarasekera M
• Gunawardena NK
• de Silva N
• Douglass J
• O'Hehir RE
• Weerasinghe A

• KMID: 2397365
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5415/apallergy.2012.2.2.122

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The effect of helminth infections on allergic diseases is still inconclusive. Furthermore, the effect of helminth infections on childhood allergic diseases in a tropical area where prevalence of helminth infections has undergone dramatic changes is not well documented.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between allergic diseases and helminth infection in a cohort of schoolchildren in an area that has undergone dramatic changes in intensity of helminth infections.
METHODS
Children attending grade 5 were recruited from 17 schools in Western Province of Sri Lanka. They were assessed for allergic diseases using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire. Their serum total IgE (tIgE) and allergen-specific IgE (sIgE) for five common aeroallergens were measured by ImmunoCAP® method and stools were examined for the presence of helminth infections.
RESULTS
A total of 640 children (mean age 10 years) were recruited to the study. Of them, 33.7% had evidence of allergic disease and 15.5% had helminth infections. Majority of infections (68.9%) were of low intensity. A significant relationship between allergic disease and helminth infections was not observed, however, a trend toward protective role of helminth infections against allergic diseases was noted. Multivariate analysis showed helminth infections to be an independent predictor of high tIgE levels whereas allergic disease was not. Allergic sensitization (atopy) was a significant risk factor for allergic disease only among non-infected children (odds ratio 3.025, p = 0.022) but not in infected children. The ratio of sIgE to tIgE was higher in non-infected children.
CONCLUSION
Though not significant, a reduced risk of allergy in helminth-infected children was observed in this population. A Decrease in intensity of helminth infections may have contributed to the reduced capacity of immune-modulation by helminths in this paediatric population.

Keyword

Allergy; Atopy; Children; IgE; Helminth infections

MeSH Terms

Asthma
Child
Cohort Studies
Helminths*
Humans
Hypersensitivity
Immunoglobulin E
Methods
Multivariate Analysis
Prevalence
Risk Factors
Sri Lanka
Immunoglobulin E

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Ratio of allergen-specific IgE (sIgE) to total IgE (tIgE) for different allergens in infected and uninfected children. Vertical bars represent the mean and 95% confidence interval.

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