Rhinoviruses in infancy and risk of immunoglobulin E sensitization

  • DIABIMMUNE Study Grp
  • , Laura Korhonen*
  • , Sami Oikarinen
  • , Jussi Lehtonen
  • , Neea Mustonen
  • , Iiris Tyni
  • , Onni Niemela
  • , Hanna Honkanen
  • , Heini Huhtala
  • , Jorma Ilonen
  • , Anu-Maaria Hamalainen
  • , Aleksandr Peet
  • , Vallo Tillmann
  • , Heli Siljander
  • , Mikael Knip
  • , Maria Lonnrot
  • , Heikki Hyoty
  • *Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)
106 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Previous data about the role of viruses in the development of allergic immunoglobulin E (IgE) sensitization are contradictory. The aim of this study was to determine the possible associations between exposure to different viruses (rhinovirus, enterovirus, norovirus, and parechovirus) during the first year of life and IgE sensitization. Viruses were analyzed from stool samples collected monthly from infants participating in a prospective birth cohort study. From that study, 244 IgE sensitized case children and 244 nonsensitized control children were identified based on their allergen-specific IgE antibody levels at the age of 6, 18, and 36 months. Stool samples (n = 4576) from the case and control children were screened for the presence of rhinovirus, enterovirus, norovirus, and parechovirus RNA by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The study showed that rhinovirus was the most prevalent virus detected, present in 921 (20%) samples. None of the viruses were associated with IgE sensitization in the full cohort but after stratifying by sex, the number of rhinovirus positive samples was inversely associated with IgE sensitization in boys (odds ratio [OR]: 0.81; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.69-0.94; P = 0.006). There was also a temporal relation between rhinoviruses and IgE sensitization, as rhinovirus exposure during the first 6 months of life was associated with a reduced risk of subsequent IgE sensitization in boys (OR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.6-0.94; P = 0.016). In conclusion, early exposure to rhinoviruses was inversely associated with IgE sensitization but this protective association was restricted to boys.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1470-1478
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Medical Virology
Volume91
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug-2019

Keywords

  • allergy
  • atopy
  • sex
  • stool
  • virus
  • ALLERGIC SENSITIZATION
  • EARLY-CHILDHOOD
  • ENTEROVIRUS INFECTIONS
  • FECAL SAMPLES
  • ASTHMA
  • CHILDREN
  • ATOPY
  • POPULATION
  • ASSOCIATION
  • DISEASES

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