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Long-term treatment of intestinal helminths increases mite skin-test reactivity in Gabonese schoolchildren
- Source :
- Journal of infectious diseases, 189(5), 892-900. Oxford University Press, The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 189(5), 892-900. Oxford University Press
- Publication Year :
- 2004
-
Abstract
- Background. Several studies have shown an inverse association between helminth infections and atopy, but none have clearly established that the pathogens themselves, rather than other associated factors, cause the suppression of atopy. To show a direct link, prospective intervention studies are required. Methods. A randomized, controlled trial was performed to study whether repeated anthelminthic treatment results in increased allergic sensitivity to house dust mites (HDMs) in chronically infected children. The trial population consisted of 317 Gabonese schoolchildren with a high prevalence of intestinal helminths. Intervention consisted of treatment every 3 months with praziquantel and mebendazole and with placebo in the control group. Follow-up lasted 30 months: at 6-month intervals, skin-test sensitivity to mites, helminth infection status, and levels of total IgE were determined. Results. Treatment resulted in a significant increase in the rate of developing skin sensitivity to HDMs ( hazard ratio, 2.51; 95% confidence interval, 1.85-3.41), which was mediated, in part, by reductions in Ascaris and/or Trichuris infections. Levels of total IgE were reduced, but this did not mediate the effect of treatment on skin-test reactivity. Conclusions. Anthelminthic treatment of chronically infected children results in increased atopic reactivity, which indicates that helminths directly suppress allergic reactions
- Subjects :
- Time Factors
Adolescent
Population
Mebendazole
Helminthiasis
Immunoglobulin E
Atopy
Drug Hypersensitivity
parasitic diseases
medicine
Mite
Prevalence
Immunology and Allergy
Helminths
Animals
Humans
Gabon
Trichuriasis
Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic
education
Child
Proportional Hazards Models
Skin Tests
Anthelmintics
education.field_of_study
Ascariasis
Mites
biology
integumentary system
business.industry
Ascaris
medicine.disease
biology.organism_classification
Insect Vectors
Infectious Diseases
Research Design
Child, Preschool
Immunology
biology.protein
Regression Analysis
sense organs
business
medicine.drug
Follow-Up Studies
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00221899
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of infectious diseases, 189(5), 892-900. Oxford University Press, The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 189(5), 892-900. Oxford University Press
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....c467f749aad31028216cbe0c9e270c4a