The effect of infectious burden on the prevalence of atopy and respiratory allergies in Iceland, Estonia, and Sweden

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links fieldBACKGROUND: Epidemiologic reports on the effect of microbe exposure on the development of atopy and allergic asthma are inconsistent. OBJECTIVES: The study investigates the association between serologic markers of infections and occurrence of atopy, allergic asthma, and rhinitis among adults in Iceland, Sweden, and Estonia. METHODS: Individuals (n = 1249; mean age, 42 years) from Iceland, Sweden, and Estonia underwent a structured interview and blood sampling. Specific IgE was measured against 4 allergens, and IgG antibodies were measured against Helicobacter pylori, Toxoplasmosis gondii, hepatitis A virus, herpes simplex virus 1, Chlamydia pneumoniae, EBV, and cytomegalovirus. RESULTS: Nonatopic subjects more often had positive serology for Helicobacter pylori, herpes simplex virus 1, Chlamydia pneumoniae, and cytomegalovirus. Having a low number