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Enterovirus infection during pregnancy is inversely associated with atopic disease in the offspring
Author(s) -
Korhonen Laura,
Seiskari Tapio,
Lehtonen Jussi,
Puustinen Leena,
Surcel HeljäMarja,
Haapala AnnaMaija,
Niemelä Onni,
Virtanen Suvi M.,
Honkanen Hanna,
Karjalainen Mira,
Ilonen Jorma,
Veijola Riitta,
Knip Mikael,
Lönnrot Maria,
Hyöty Heikki
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
clinical and experimental allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.462
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1365-2222
pISSN - 0954-7894
DOI - 10.1111/cea.13280
Subject(s) - pregnancy , medicine , offspring , immunology , odds ratio , mycoplasma pneumoniae , atopic dermatitis , atopy , asthma , biology , pneumonia , genetics
Summary Background Prenatal environment has been shown to influence child's risk of atopic diseases. Laboratory‐confirmed data about the role of maternal infections during pregnancy is scarce. Objective The aim of this study was to determine the associations between serologically confirmed maternal infections during pregnancy and atopic disease in the offspring. Methods This was a nested case‐control study within a prospective birth cohort study. Altogether 202 atopic case children and 333 matched non‐atopic control children were included. Atopic outcome was defined as having an atopic disease and IgE sensitization by the age of 5 years. We analysed serologically acute enterovirus ( EV ), influenza virus A ( IAV ) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae ( M. pneumoniae ) infections during pregnancy, and mother's seropositivity against human cytomegalovirus ( CMV ) and Helicobacter pylori . Results Maternal EV infection during pregnancy was inversely associated with atopic outcome in the offspring (odds ratio 0.43; 95% confidence interval: 0.23‐0.80, P = 0.008). Acute IAV or M. pneumoniae infections or seropositivity against CMV or Helicobacter pylori were not associated with the atopic outcome. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance Our results suggest that maternal EV infections during pregnancy are inversely associated with atopic disease in the offspring. Our finding provides further support to the previous studies suggesting an important role of the in utero environment in the development of atopic diseases.