Enterobius vermicularis and allergic conditions in Norwegian children

• Published in: Epidemiology and infection Vol. 142; no. 10; pp. 2114 - 2120
• Main Authors: BØÅS, H., TAPIA, G., RASMUSSEN, T., RØNNINGEN, K. S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01-10-2014
• Subjects: Allergies; Animals; Asthma; Asthma - epidemiology; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Dermatitis, Atopic - epidemiology; Diabetes; Eczema; Enterobiasis - epidemiology; Enterobius - isolation & purification; Enterobius vermicularis; Female; Food allergies; Food Hypersensitivity - epidemiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastrointestinal infecrions; Gastrointestinal Infections; Genotype & phenotype; Genotypes; Helminthiasis; Humans; Hypersensitivity - epidemiology; Hypotheses; Infections; Logistic Models; Male; Microbiology; Norway; Odds Ratio; Original Papers; Parents & parenting; Physicians; Questionnaires; Regression analysis; Respiratory Sounds; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal - epidemiology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Variables; Wheezing; Norway; paediatrics; parasites; helminths (worms); Epidemiology; public health; Human; Immunopathology; Allergy; Helmintha; Enterobius vermicularis; Nemathelminthia; Invertebrata; Nematoda; Child
• ISSN: 0950-2688; 1469-4409
• DOI: 10.1017/S0950268813003154

Studies investigating the association between Enterobius vermicularis and allergic conditions have shown conflicting results. This study was conducted to test for any such associations in Norwegian children. Parents were asked to answer questionnaires concerning their children's history of allergies, wheezing or eczema and pinworm infections. Current pinworm infections were diagnosed by microscopic examination of anal scotch tape samples. The data were analysed using logistic regression. Atopic eczema, allergy or wheezing was reported to be confirmed by a physician in 23% of the children (84/364). A possible association between current pinworm infections and food allergy was found, with 17·5% of children without food allergy testing positive for pinworms, compared to 36·8% of children with food allergy (odds ratio 2·9, 95% confidence interval 1·1–8·0). No association was found between past pinworm treatments and present atopic conditions. The association between current E. vermicularis infections and food allergy warrants further study.