Basic and Clinical ImmunologyIgG antibodies against microorganisms and atopic disease in Danish adults: The Copenhagen Allergy Study☆,☆☆
Section snippets
Study population
The study was conducted according to a 2-stage protocol. In the first stage a screening questionnaire on respiratory symptoms was mailed to a sample of 15- to 69-year-olds (n = 8000) living in the western part of Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark. The sample was drawn randomly from the Civil Registration System. A total of 6998 or 87.5% responded to the screening questionnaire. In the second stage, a random group and a symptom group selected among the respondents were invited to a health
Results
The prevalence of IgG seropositivity against each of the microorganisms increased with increasing age (chi-square test, P < .05) (Table I). The prevalence of atopy was negatively associated with seropositivity to HAV and positively associated with seropositivity to C difficile (Table II). Furthermore, the prevalence of atopy decreased with an increasing index of exposure to markers of poor hygiene (HAV, H pylori , and T gondii ). In contrast, the prevalence of atopy increased with an increasing
Discussion
We found a negative association between a cumulative index of exposure to HAV, H pylori , and T gondii and the prevalence of atopy and allergic rhinitis. This is consistent with findings of a nested case-control study in Italian military cadets, aged 17 to 24 years.8 Thus, this association is not due to factors specific to Italian lifestyle, environment, or climate. In contrast, a nested case-control study (85 cases with adult onset wheeze and 190 control subjects) in a general population aged
Acknowledgements
We thank Bente Jensen, Anne Skou, Annette Gregersen, Tanja Hansen, and Sylvia Kaznilsson at the Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, Denmark, for performing IgG measurements and the Product Development staff at ALK Abelló A/S, Hørsholm, Denmark, for performing IgE measurements.
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Cited by (0)
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Supported by grants from the Danish Lung Association, the National Association against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, The Danish Ministry of the Interior and Health, Research Centre for Environmental Health's Fund (383-31), the Danish Health Insurance Foundation (H11/274-89, H11/264-90), The Danish Medical Research Council, Danish Environmental Protection Agency, and ALK Abelló A/S, Denmark.
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Reprint requests: Allan Linneberg, MD, PhD, Centre for Preventive Medicine, Glostrup University Hospital, 57 Ndr. Ringvej, Entrance 8, 7th floor, DK-2600 Glostrup, Denmark.