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Serious lower respiratory tract respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections in infancy appears to be associated with later development of asthma and sensitivity to allergens. Forty-seven infants who were hospitalized with RSV bronchiolitis before one year old were each matched to two control children for age, sex, and area of residence. At one year, all children were tested for RSV antibodies, and at three years they were screened for sensitivity to common allergens. At one year, 89% of the bronchiolitis group had RSV antibodies versus 27% of control children. At three years, 23% of the bronchiolitis group had been diagnosed with asthma versus 1% of control children. Thirty-two percent of bronchiolitis children had positive allergy tests versus 9% of control children. Asthma and allergies associated with history of bronchiolitis. A family history of allergic skin rashes or asthma further increased risk. The fact that 27% of control children had antibodies to RSV suggests that only serious RSV infection is associated with asthma and allergies., ABSTRACT. Objective. To study the occurrence of bronchial obstructive symptoms and immunoglobulin (Ig) E antibodies after respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis in infancy. Previous studies of this subject have mostly [...]

Objective: To compare the prevalence of self-reported food allergy and IgE antibodies to food allergens in wheezing and non-wheezing Estonian and Swedish schoolchildren, in the light of the disparities in the standard of living, food consumption and prevalence of respiratory allergies that still exist between Estonia and the Scandinavian countries. Design and setting: As a part of the ISAAC Phase II study, children from a random sample of schools in Tallinn in Estonia and Link#246;ping and #214;stersund in Sweden participated in skin prick tests to inhalant allergens and the parents replied to questionnaires. IgE antibodies against a panel of food allergens (egg white, milk, soy bean, fish, wheat and peanut) were taken from children with questionnaire-reported wheezing and a random sample of nonwheezing children. Subjects: Children aged 10-11 y. Results: The prevalence of self-reported food allergy was similar in Estonia and Sweden and about twice as high in wheezing children than in nonwheezing children. In Estonia, however, 3% of the children with perceived food allergy reported reactions from at least four different foods, as compared to 31% in Sweden. The prevalence of sensitisation to food allergens was similar in wheezing and nonwheezing children in Estonia (8%) while, in Swedish children, IgE antibodies to food allergens were more likely among wheezing children (Link#246;ping 38 vs 11%, crude OR 5.1, 95% CI 2.2-11.6, and #214;stersund 24 vs 7%, crude OR 4.1, 95% CI 1.9-8.5). Conclusion: Our study suggests that IgE-mediated food reactions were less likely in Estonian schoolchildren. Moreover, the perception of food allergy and thereby the meaning of self-reported food allergy appears to be different in the two countries. Sponsorship: This study was supported by a grant from the Swedish Foundation for Health Care Sciences and Allergy Research. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2005) 59:, 399-403. doi: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602087 Published online 15 December 2004 Keywords: food allergy, children, IgE antibodies, wheezing, Author(s): A Sandin [1]; T Annus [2]; B Bjorksten [3]; L Nilsson [4]; M -A Riikjarv [5]; M van Hage-Hamsten [6]; L Braback [7] Introduction A number of studies have [...]

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated differences in the composition of gut microbiota in infants with and without allergic diseases, particularly eczema. Methods: A case-control study involving 21 toddlers (age 3.0 [...]

Examines the regional differences of allergy in relation to pet ownership among children in northern and southern Sweden. Prevalence of atopic symptoms of sensitization to pollen; Impact of maternal smoking during pregnancy on atopic sensitization; Association between body size at birth and atopic sensitization.

The five main unmet needs in the treatment of asthma in children and adolescents are the treatment of infants, the treatment of adolescents, the efficacy of medication, the lack of clinical trials in children and the need for prevention. Asthma is a dynamic disease that changes over time and there are several patterns of asthma in children. One of the greatest needs is to identify those children with chronic asthma where undertreatment is more of a problem than overtreatment. Although the treatment of asthma in children is the same in principle as adults, there are several practical difficulties with infants, such as accurately assessing lung function and administering drugs. Teenage asthma creates a distinct management problem. Not only is asthma underdiagnosed but acceptance of diagnosis and compliance is often poor. Existing therapies need to be used more effectively in adolescents. It is particularly important to establish a partnership with teenage asthmatics and motivate them to create their own treatment goals. This requires passing on knowledge. The efficacy of asthma medication may be different in children than in adults and clinical studies should be performed to optimize therapy with existing drugs. The only proven primary preventive measure to prevent wheezing and asthma is to avoid passive tobacco smoke exposure. Possible intervention strategies include early intervention with anti-inflammatory therapy, allergen avoidance and vaccine approaches but more of them have proven efficacious. Although modern asthma treatment has improved patient quality of life and long-term prognosis, there is still a need for further improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]