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Association of hepatitis A virus infection with allergic sensitization in a population with high prevalence of hepatitis A virus exposure
Author(s) -
GonzalezQuintela A.,
Gude F.,
Boquete O.,
Aguilera A.,
Rey J.,
Meijide L. M.,
FernandezMerino M. C.,
Vidal C.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.363
H-Index - 173
eISSN - 1398-9995
pISSN - 0105-4538
DOI - 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2005.00682.x
Subject(s) - medicine , sensitization , hepatitis a , population , hepatitis a virus , immunology , confounding , allergy , epidemiology , asthma , hepatitis , virus , environmental health
Background: An inverse association between allergic sensitization and markers of exposure to food‐borne and orofecal infections (particularly hepatitis A virus, HAV) has been reported. The prevalence of HAV exposure and allergic sensitization vary widely in different areas, and vary along with age within a given area. Aim: To investigate the association between HAV exposure and allergic sensitization in adults from a mostly rural area of Spain. Methods: An age‐stratified random sample of 720 subjects was drawn from the population older than 18 years of A‐Estrada, Spain. From 697 eligible subjects, 469 (67.2%, median age 54 years, range: 18–92) participated in the study. Positive skin prick tests to a panel of aeroallergens defined allergic sensitization. Positive serum HAV antibodies (assayed in 465 subjects) defined HAV exposure. Results: The prevalence of HAV exposure was 83.6% (95% CI: 80.7–86.5). The prevalence of allergic sensitization was lower in subjects with HAV exposure than in patients without it (25.0% vs 40.0%, OR 0.44, 95% CI: 0.25–0.77, P = 0.004), but this association became substantially altered after adjusting for age, which was closely linked to both allergic sensitization and HAV exposure (adjusted OR 1.15, 95% CI: 0.60–2.19, P = 0.66). Conclusions: In a population with high prevalence of HAV exposure, no significant association between HAV exposure and allergic sensitization is observed after controlling for the confounding effect of age.