Association of helminth infestation with childhood asthma: a nested case-control study
Objectives: The association between helminthiasis and asthma remains inconclusive but can only be investigated in counties where helminthiasis is transitioning from a high to low burden. We investigated this association using data from a childhood respiratory cohort in Sri Lanka. Methods: A case-con...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-03-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Infectious Diseases |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971223000061 |
| _version_ | 1797897337701400576 |
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| author | Chamara V. Senaratna Piyumali K. Perera Segarajasingam Arulkumaran Nirupama Abeysekara Pramodya Piyumanthi Garun S. Hamilton Gillian M. Nixon Rupika S. Rajakaruna Shyamali C. Dharmage |
| author_facet | Chamara V. Senaratna Piyumali K. Perera Segarajasingam Arulkumaran Nirupama Abeysekara Pramodya Piyumanthi Garun S. Hamilton Gillian M. Nixon Rupika S. Rajakaruna Shyamali C. Dharmage |
| author_sort | Chamara V. Senaratna |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: The association between helminthiasis and asthma remains inconclusive but can only be investigated in counties where helminthiasis is transitioning from a high to low burden. We investigated this association using data from a childhood respiratory cohort in Sri Lanka. Methods: A case-control study was nested within a population-based cohort of children aged 6-14 years in Sri Lanka. The stool samples of 190 children with asthma and 190 children without asthma were analyzed to assess the burden of helminth infestation. Logistic regression models were fitted to investigate the association of gastrointestinal helminth species with asthma. Results: Helminthiasis in children with and without asthma was 23.3% (n = 44) and 15.3% (n = 23), respectively. Those with asthma were more likely to have helminthiasis (odds ratio 3.7; 95% confidence interval 1.7, 7.7; P = 0.001), particularly with Trichiuris trichura (odds ratio 4.5; 95% confidence interval 1.6, 12.3; P = 0.004). Helminth eggs per gram of feces were not associated with asthma (P >0.05). Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate a positive association between T. trichura infestation and asthma and point to the need to fully characterize this association to understand the likely immunological mechanism that drives it. This association highlights an important public health intervention in countries where these infestations are still prevalent, affecting 24% of the population worldwide. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T07:57:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f571ad41dbdc4ed0a8937d02b38345b0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1201-9712 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T07:57:00Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Infectious Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-f571ad41dbdc4ed0a8937d02b38345b02023-02-23T04:30:28ZengElsevierInternational Journal of Infectious Diseases1201-97122023-03-01128272277Association of helminth infestation with childhood asthma: a nested case-control studyChamara V. Senaratna0Piyumali K. Perera1Segarajasingam Arulkumaran2Nirupama Abeysekara3Pramodya Piyumanthi4Garun S. Hamilton5Gillian M. Nixon6Rupika S. Rajakaruna7Shyamali C. Dharmage8Allergy and Lung Health Unit (ALHU), Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Non-Communicable Disease Research Centre, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka; Corresponding author: (C. Senaratna), Tel: +61 4 2441 7512Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri LankaProvincial Department of Health Services/Eastern Province, Trincomalee, Sri LankaDepartment of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka; School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton, Australia; QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, AustraliaNon-Communicable Disease Research Centre, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri LankaSchool of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Australia; Monash Lung, Sleep, Allergy and Immunology, Monash Health, Clayton, AustraliaDepartment of Paediatrics, Monash University, Clayton, AustraliaDepartment of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri LankaAllergy and Lung Health Unit (ALHU), Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, AustraliaObjectives: The association between helminthiasis and asthma remains inconclusive but can only be investigated in counties where helminthiasis is transitioning from a high to low burden. We investigated this association using data from a childhood respiratory cohort in Sri Lanka. Methods: A case-control study was nested within a population-based cohort of children aged 6-14 years in Sri Lanka. The stool samples of 190 children with asthma and 190 children without asthma were analyzed to assess the burden of helminth infestation. Logistic regression models were fitted to investigate the association of gastrointestinal helminth species with asthma. Results: Helminthiasis in children with and without asthma was 23.3% (n = 44) and 15.3% (n = 23), respectively. Those with asthma were more likely to have helminthiasis (odds ratio 3.7; 95% confidence interval 1.7, 7.7; P = 0.001), particularly with Trichiuris trichura (odds ratio 4.5; 95% confidence interval 1.6, 12.3; P = 0.004). Helminth eggs per gram of feces were not associated with asthma (P >0.05). Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate a positive association between T. trichura infestation and asthma and point to the need to fully characterize this association to understand the likely immunological mechanism that drives it. This association highlights an important public health intervention in countries where these infestations are still prevalent, affecting 24% of the population worldwide.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971223000061HelminthiasisParasitic infestationGastrointestinalChildAsthma |
| spellingShingle | Chamara V. Senaratna Piyumali K. Perera Segarajasingam Arulkumaran Nirupama Abeysekara Pramodya Piyumanthi Garun S. Hamilton Gillian M. Nixon Rupika S. Rajakaruna Shyamali C. Dharmage Association of helminth infestation with childhood asthma: a nested case-control study International Journal of Infectious Diseases Helminthiasis Parasitic infestation Gastrointestinal Child Asthma |
| title | Association of helminth infestation with childhood asthma: a nested case-control study |
| title_full | Association of helminth infestation with childhood asthma: a nested case-control study |
| title_fullStr | Association of helminth infestation with childhood asthma: a nested case-control study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Association of helminth infestation with childhood asthma: a nested case-control study |
| title_short | Association of helminth infestation with childhood asthma: a nested case-control study |
| title_sort | association of helminth infestation with childhood asthma a nested case control study |
| topic | Helminthiasis Parasitic infestation Gastrointestinal Child Asthma |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971223000061 |
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