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Risk factors for Toxocara spp. seroprevalence and its association with atopy and asthma phenotypes in school-age children in a small town and semi-rural areas of Northeast Brazil.
- Source :
-
Acta tropica [Acta Trop] 2017 Oct; Vol. 174, pp. 158-164. Date of Electronic Publication: 2016 Apr 11. - Publication Year :
- 2017
-
Abstract
- Toxocara canis, Toxocara cati, are roundworms that live in the intestines of dogs and cats, respectively, and are predominantly agents of human toxocariasis. Studies have suggested that Toxocara spp. seroprevalence increases levels of total and aeroallergen-specific IgE (sIgE), asthma prevalence and asthma morbidity. Nevertheless, other work reported a negative association between Toxocara spp. seropositivity with skin hypersensititity and a positive association with sIgE. The objective of the present study was to evaluate risk factors for acquiring Toxocara spp. infection and to investigate possible significant association between its seroprevalence with atopy and asthma. Students from elementary schools, residents in a small town and its surroundings of Northeast Brazil, underwent blood sampling to measure levels of anti-Toxocara spp. IgG, peripheral blood eosinophils, and specific IgE to aeroallergens. We used univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses to assess possible risk factors for Toxocara spp. seropositivity and its association with atopy, wheeze/asthma with asthma phenotypes, in a sample of 791 elementary school children aged 6-13 years. Toxocara spp. seroprevalence reached 63.6%; 49.9% had sIgE; 7.2% and 3.3% had atopic wheeze/asthma and non-atopic wheeze/asthma respectively. Risk factors associated with Toxocara spp. seropositivity were: contact with dogs (adj. OR 2.33; 95% CI=1.70-3.19) and cats (adj. OR 3.09; 95% CI=2.10-4.55), and male sex (adj. OR 2.21; 95% CI=1.62-3.02). The presence of anti-Toxocara IgG was statistically associated with blood eosinophils >4% and >10% (adj. OR 1.84; 95% CI=1.33-2.55 and adj. OR 2.07; 95% CI=1.45-2.97, respectively), and atopy (adj. OR 2.00; 95% CI=1.49-2.68), but it was not associated with wheeze/asthma. Concluding, the results obtained in this study showing the association of Toxocara spp. seroprevalence with sIgE may suggest a possible immunological cross-reactivity between IgE epitopes from Toxocara spp. and aeroallergens.<br /> (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
- Subjects :
- Adolescent
Animals
Brazil epidemiology
Cats
Child
Dogs
Female
Humans
Male
Prevalence
Risk Factors
Rural Population statistics & numerical data
Schools statistics & numerical data
Seroepidemiologic Studies
Students statistics & numerical data
Antibodies, Helminth blood
Asthma epidemiology
Hypersensitivity, Immediate epidemiology
Toxocara isolation & purification
Toxocariasis epidemiology
Toxocariasis immunology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1873-6254
- Volume :
- 174
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Acta tropica
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 27080332
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2016.04.005