Prevalence of Antibodies Against Ascaris Suum and Its Association with Allergic Manifestations in 4-year-old Children in The Netherlands: the PIAMA Birth Cohort Study

Overview

Journal Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis

Publisher Springer

Specialties Infectious Diseases
Microbiology

Date 2009 Aug 1

PMID 19644714

Citations 11

Authors

E Pinelli

S M Willers

D Hoek

H A Smit

L M Kortbeek

M Hoekstra

J de Jongste

F van Knapen

D Postma

M Kerkhof

R Aalberse

J W B van der Giessen

B Brunekreef

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The association between helminth infections and childhood atopic diseases remains controversial. The majority of studies have been carried out in tropical areas, whereas less information is available from western countries with low intensity of helminth infections. In the Netherlands, the infection of pigs with Ascaris suum is very common, particularly on pig farms with outdoor facilities. This helminth can also infect humans, causing visceral larva migrans. This study aims at determining the prevalence of antibodies against A. suum and its association with allergic symptoms and sensitisation in a population of 4-year-old children living in The Netherlands. Blood samples from 629 children from the prospective birth cohort Prevention and Incidence of Asthma and Mite Allergy (PIAMA) study were examined for Ascaris antibodies. Data on allergic symptoms and sensitisation were collected using questionnaires and radioallergosorbent tests (RAST). A total of 45 out of 629 (7%) were found to be Ascaris-seropositive. In addition, a positive association between Ascaris seropositivity and wheeze in the last year, doctor-diagnosed asthma and food and aero-allergen sensitisation was found. These results support the hypothesis that low-level or transient infection with helminths enhances allergic reactivity.

Citing Articles

Evaluation of copromicroscopy and serology to measure the exposure to Ascaris infections across age groups and to assess the impact of 3 years of biannual mass drug administration in Jimma Town, Ethiopia.

Dana D, Vlaminck J, Ayana M, Tadege B, Mekonnen Z, Geldhof P PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2020; 14(4):e0008037.

PMID: 32282815 PMC: 7179930. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008037.

Parasites and asthma.

Wuhao L, Ran C, Xujin H, Zhongdao W, Dekumyoy P, Zhiyue L Parasitol Res. 2017; 116(9):2373-2383.

PMID: 28689246 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-017-5548-1.

Optimal ELISA antigen for the diagnosis of Ascaris suum infection in humans.

Yoshida A, Kikuchi T, Nakagaki S, Maruyama H Parasitol Res. 2016; 115(12):4701-4705.

PMID: 27604123 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-016-5239-3.

Seroepidemiology of human Toxocara and Ascaris infections in the Netherlands.

Mughini-Gras L, Harms M, van Pelt W, Pinelli E, Kortbeek T Parasitol Res. 2016; 115(10):3779-94.

PMID: 27234034 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-016-5139-6.

Human Ascariasis: Diagnostics Update.

Lamberton P, Jourdan P Curr Trop Med Rep. 2015; 2(4):189-200.

PMID: 26550552 PMC: 4630244. DOI: 10.1007/s40475-015-0064-9.

References

Schafer T, Meyer T, Ring J, Wichmann H, Heinrich J . Worm infestation and the negative association with eczema (atopic/nonatopic) and allergic sensitization. Allergy. 2005; 60(8):1014-20. DOI: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2005.00801.x. View

Yazdanbakhsh M, Matricardi P . Parasites and the hygiene hypothesis: regulating the immune system?. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol. 2004; 26(1):15-24. DOI: 10.1385/CRIAI:26:1:15. View

Crompton D . Ascaris and ascariasis. Adv Parasitol. 2000; 48:285-375. DOI: 10.1016/s0065-308x(01)48008-0. View

van Knapen F, Buijs J, Kortbeek L, Ljungstrom I . Larva migrans syndrome: toxocara, ascaris, or both?. Lancet. 1992; 340(8818):550-1. DOI: 10.1016/0140-6736(92)91749-x. View

Koopman L, Smit H, Heijnen M, Wijga A, van Strien R, Kerkhof M . Respiratory infections in infants: interaction of parental allergy, child care, and siblings-- The PIAMA study. Pediatrics. 2001; 108(4):943-8. DOI: 10.1542/peds.108.4.943. View

Leonardi-Bee J, Pritchard D, Britton J . Asthma and current intestinal parasite infection: systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2006; 174(5):514-23. DOI: 10.1164/rccm.200603-331OC. View

Nakamura-Uchiyama F, Tokunaga Y, Suzuki A, Akao N, Hiromatsu K, Hitomi S . A case of Ascaris suum visceral larva migrans diagnosed by using A. suum larval excretory-secretory (ES) antigen. Scand J Infect Dis. 2006; 38(3):221-4. DOI: 10.1080/00365540500348952. View

Lozano M, Martin H, Diaz S, Manas A, Valero L, Campos B . Cross-reactivity between antigens of Anisakis simplex s.l. and other ascarid nematodes. Parasite. 2004; 11(2):219-23. DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2004112219. View

Savigny D . In vitro maintenance of Toxocara canis larvae and a simple method for the production of Toxocara ES antigen for use in serodiagnostic tests for visceral larva migrans. J Parasitol. 1975; 61(4):781-2. View

10.

Cooper P . Interactions between helminth parasites and allergy. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2008; 9(1):29-37. PMC: 2680069. DOI: 10.1097/ACI.0b013e32831f44a6. View

11.

Maizels R, Yazdanbakhsh M . T-cell regulation in helminth parasite infections: implications for inflammatory diseases. Chem Immunol Allergy. 2008; 94:112-123. DOI: 10.1159/000154944. View

12.

Lal R, Ottesen E . Enhanced diagnostic specificity in human filariasis by IgG4 antibody assessment. J Infect Dis. 1988; 158(5):1034-7. DOI: 10.1093/infdis/158.5.1034. View

13.

Buijs J, Borsboom G, Renting M, Hilgersom W, van Wieringen J, Jansen G . Relationship between allergic manifestations and Toxocara seropositivity: a cross-sectional study among elementary school children. Eur Respir J. 1997; 10(7):1467-75. DOI: 10.1183/09031936.97.10071467. View

14.

Santos A, Rocha G, Oliver C, Ferriani V, Lima R, Palma M . Cross-reactive IgE antibody responses to tropomyosins from Ascaris lumbricoides and cockroach. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2008; 121(4):1040-6.e1. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2007.12.1147. View

15.

Cooper P, Chico M, Rodrigues L, Ordonez M, Strachan D, Griffin G . Reduced risk of atopy among school-age children infected with geohelminth parasites in a rural area of the tropics. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2003; 111(5):995-1000. DOI: 10.1067/mai.2003.1348. View

16.

Pinelli E, Brandes S, Dormans J, Fonville M, Hamilton C, Van der Giessen J . Toxocara canis: effect of inoculum size on pulmonary pathology and cytokine expression in BALB/c mice. Exp Parasitol. 2006; 115(1):76-82. DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2006.06.002. View

17.

Eijck I, Borgsteede F . A survey of gastrointestinal pig parasites on free-range, organic and conventional pig farms in The Netherlands. Vet Res Commun. 2005; 29(5):407-14. DOI: 10.1007/s11259-005-1201-z. View

18.

Laemmli U . Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly of the head of bacteriophage T4. Nature. 1970; 227(5259):680-5. DOI: 10.1038/227680a0. View

19.

Kennedy M, Qureshi F . Stage-specific secreted antigens of the parasitic larval stages of the nematode Ascaris. Immunology. 1986; 58(3):515-22. PMC: 1453479. View

20.

Nejsum P, Parker Jr E, Frydenberg J, Roepstorff A, Boes J, Haque R . Ascariasis is a zoonosis in denmark. J Clin Microbiol. 2005; 43(3):1142-8. PMC: 1081283. DOI: 10.1128/JCM.43.3.1142-1148.2005. View