Exposure to Antibodies Anti-Chlamydophila Pneumoniae Associated to Respiratory Symptoms of Asthma among Adolescents.

Abstract

Previous report shows relationship between C. pneumonie and Asthma. In this study, we assessed the association between exposure to C. pneumoniae infection and the risk of bronchial asthma in adolescents in the State of Morelos, Mexico. An analysis was performed on a population-based cohort study of 80 adolescents with respiratory symptoms of asthma defined by ISAAC and 202 healthy adolescents between 12 and 17 years old. The information was collected twice from questionnaires, anthropometry, and sampling. Excessive weight gain was determined by calculating body mass index, and exposure to the specific antibodies IgM, IgG, and IgA was detected by microimmunofluorescence. The geometric means were calculated for titers of C. pneumoniae. The odds ratio was used across multiple models. The results showed that the exposure to C. pneumoniae was very high in the study population (67.2%). All immunoglobulins were significantly increased in patients with asthma symptoms compared with the healthy population (17% for IgG, 34% for IgM, and 52% for IgA). In multiple models, the IgM and IgA immunoglobulins were found to be associated with asthma (OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.4–4.2 and OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.2–4.8, respectively). Our study reflects a high seroprevalence of C. pneumoniae in the population; this seroprevalence is higher in young people with asthma. Specific immunoglobulins to C. pneumoniae are associated with IgM and IgA. The epidemiological significance of our results influences the timely monitoring and management of infections acquired at an early age that persist, or recur, for much of the juvenile life. Additional studies are needed to validate our findings.