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The association of different enteroviruses with atopy and allergic diseases in early childhood
  • +9
  • Tiina Palmu,
  • Jussi Lehtonen,
  • Laura Korhonen,
  • Suvi Virtanen,
  • Onni Niemelä,
  • Jorma Toppari,
  • Jorma Ilonen,
  • Riitta Veijola,
  • Mikael Knip,
  • Olli Laitinen,
  • Maria Lönnrot,
  • Heikki Hyöty
Tiina Palmu
University of Tampere

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Jussi Lehtonen
University of Tampere
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Laura Korhonen
Tampere University Hospital
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Suvi Virtanen
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare
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Onni Niemelä
Seinäjoki Central Hospital and University of Tampere
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Jorma Toppari
Turun yliopisto Kliininen laitos
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Jorma Ilonen
University of Turku
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Riitta Veijola
University of Oulu
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Mikael Knip
University of Helsinki
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Olli Laitinen
University of Tampere
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Maria Lönnrot
University of Tampere
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Heikki Hyöty
University of Tampere
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Abstract

Background: Enterovirus (EV) infections, being among the most prevalent viruses worldwide, have been associated with reduced risk of allergic diseases. We sought to determine the association of EVs with allergic sensitization and disease in early childhood. Methods: The study was carried out in a nested case-control setting within a prospective birth cohort in Finland. We included 138 case children who had specific IgE (s-IgE) sensitization at the age of 5 years and 138 control children without s-IgE sensitization. Allergic disease was recorded at study visits and asked with ISAAC questionary. We screened for the presence of serotype specific antibodies against 41 EVs at 1 to 5 years of age and assessed their association with allergic sensitization and disease. Results: The overall number of EV infections did not differ between s-IgE-sensitized children and non-sensitized control children. However, there was a tendency of case children with an allergic disease having less EV infections than their controls. This observation was statistically significant for species A EVs in case children with atopic dermatitis vs. control children: OR 0.6 (95 % CI 0.36-0.99), P = 0.048. Conclusion: This study supports the evidence that EV exposure and development of allergic disease are inversely associated. Interestingly, the inverse association was not observed for bare atopic IgE sensitization, but for IgE sensitization coupled with clinical atopic disease. This suggests that environmental factors influencing IgE sensitization may differ from those influencing progression to clinical allergic disease.
04 Mar 2021Submitted to Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
06 Mar 2021Reviewer(s) Assigned
28 Mar 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
31 Mar 2021Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
24 May 20211st Revision Received
25 May 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
31 May 2021Editorial Decision: Accept
Nov 2021Published in Pediatric Allergy and Immunology volume 32 issue 8 on pages 1629-1636. 10.1111/pai.13577