Summary
To evaluate whether pertussis induces the development of allergy, a prospective study was performed in 25 children aged 0.8–12.2 years. The patients underwent allergy diagnostics during pertussis infection and at a follow-up visit 8–14 months later. Diagnostic criteria included the medical history of the patients and their families, a modified skin prick test, measurement of serum IgE and radio-allergosorbent test screening for specific sensitizations. At the time of pertussis, serum IgE concentration in the study group was 62+ 30 kU/ml. At the follow-up visit, there was a significant increase in serum IgE to 137 ± 51 kU/ml, which was also significantly higher than IgE in an age-matched control group. Children at a significantly higher risk for developing IgE increase or new allergic sensitizations were those with a family history of allergy or potentially allergic disease in their personal history. Our results indicate that pertussis may induce IgE production in affected children.
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Abbreviations
- SPT:
-
skin prick test
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Dedicated to Prof. Dr. N. Zöllner on the occasion of his 70th birthday
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Schuster, A., Hofmann, A. & Reinhardt, D. Does pertussis infection induce manifestation of allergy?. Clin Investig 71, 208–213 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00180103
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00180103