The effect of infectious agents on the prevalence of allergies

Abstract

PurposeThe role of infectious agents in allergy development is ambivalent. On one hand, there are reports of an association between a previous infection (especially a viral respiratory tract infection) and developing hypersensitivity to inhaled allergens, which in turn may increase the risk of developing allergic reactions. On the other hand, there are reports emphasizing a protective effect of a number of infectious agents against allergy development. The aim the study was to find possible associations between a past infectious or parasitic disease and an allergic condition. Material and methodsThe study population was a group of 18,648 subjects. The study, which was a part of the project: ‘Implementation of a System for the Prevention and Early Detection of Allergic Diseases in Poland’, was conducted in 9 selected regions of Poland and used the ECRHS and ISAAC questionnaires adapted for Europe. The following statistical tools were used: Pearson's chi-squared test, Fisher's exact test, and logistic regression. ResultsThis research was an attempt to clear association between a history of measles or viral hepatitis and the likelihood of developing asthma, especially in males (χ2 = 5.29; p<0.05). Past parasitic disease showed a clear association with a suspected allergic rhinitis in various groups of patients (differing both in terms of sex and age). ConclusionsA history of some forms of either infectious or parasitic diseases has a measurable effect on the risk of developing allergies.