1. Heterogeneous associations of polyomaviruses and herpesviruses with allergy-related phenotypes in childhood
- Author
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Manolis Kogevinas, Silvia de Sanjose, Marina Vafeiadi, Tim Waterboer, Marianna Karachaliou, Katerina Margetaki, Leda Chatzi, and Theano Roumeliotaki
- Subjects
Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine ,Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ,Herpesvirus 4, Human ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Allergy ,viruses ,Immunology ,Trichodysplasia spinulosa polyomavirus ,Eczema ,Merkel cell polyomavirus ,medicine.disease_cause ,Article ,Virus ,Serology ,Immune system ,Negatively associated ,Internal medicine ,Humans ,Immunology and Allergy ,Medicine ,Child ,Human polyomavirus 6 ,Asthma ,Polyomavirus Infections ,biology ,business.industry ,virus diseases ,Odds ratio ,biology.organism_classification ,medicine.disease ,Phenotype ,Child, Preschool ,Cohort ,Polyomavirus ,business - Abstract
Background Evidence suggests a complex interplay between infections and allergic diseases. Objective To explore the association of 14 common viruses with eczema, asthma, and rhinoconjunctivitis in childhood. Methods We used cross-sectional (n = 686) and prospective (n = 440) data from children participating in the Rhea birth cohort. Immunoglobulin G to polyomaviruses (BK polyomavirus, JC polyomavirus, KI polyomavirus [KIPyV], WU polyomavirus [WUPyV], human polyomavirus 6, human polyomavirus 7, Trichodysplasia spinulosa polyomavirus, Merkel cell polyomavirus, human polyomavirus 9, and human polyomavirus 10) and herpesviruses (Epstein-Barr virus, Cytomegalovirus, Herpes simplex virus-1, Herpes simplex virus-2) were measured at age 4 years by fluorescent bead-based multiplex serology. Definitions of eczema, asthma, and rhinoconjunctivitis at ages 4 and 6 years were based on questionnaires. Mediation of the associations by immune biomarkers was tested. Results Less likely to have eczema at age 4 years were KIPyV-seropositive (odds ratio [OR], 0.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.27-0.82) and human polyomavirus 6 (OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.26-0.73) compared with their seronegative counterparts. Seropositivity to Epstein-Barr virus was negatively associated with eczema at age 4 years (OR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.22-0.67) and 6 years (OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.25-0.99). Children with a higher burden of herpesviruses or of skin polyomaviruses had the lowest odds of eczema at age 4 years. Higher odds for asthma at age 4 years were found for WUPyV-seropositive children (OR, 3.98; 95% CI, 1.38-11.51), and for children seropositive to both respiratory polyomaviruses (KIPyV and WUPyV) (OR, 7.35; 95% CI, 1.66-32.59) compared with children seronegative to both. No associations were observed for rhinoconjunctivitis. There was no evidence of mediation by immune biomarkers. Conclusion A heterogeneous pattern of infections and allergic diseases was observed with common infections associated with a decreased eczema risk and an increased asthma risk in children.
- Published
- 2021
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