title: Measles history and atopic diseases: a population-based cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many recent cross-sectional studies have suggested that lack of early exposure to communicable diseases, including measles, in affluent countries may have increased rates of atopic disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the association between natural measles infection and atopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional nationwide study in Finland using data gathered between November 1, 1982, and June 30, 1986.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 547910 individuals aged 14 months to 19 years who at the time of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination had relevant information collected on the occurrence of measles and allergic rhinitis, eczema, and asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lifetime occurrence of atopic manifestations in subjects who had had measles compared with those who had not, expressed as age-specific and age-adjusted prevalence ratios.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The age-adjusted prevalence ratio of atopic manifestations among those who had had measles (n = 20 690) compared with those who had not (n = 527 220) was 1.32 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.27-1.36) for eczema, 1.41 (95% CI, 1.33-1.49) for rhinitis, and 1.67 (95% CI, 1.54-1.79) for asthma. The positive association between measles and atopy was evident at all ages, in both urban and rural dwellers, and among subjects with many or few contacts at home or in day care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on our data, measles and atopy occur more frequently together than expected, which does not support the hypothesis that experiencing natural measles infection offers protection against atopic disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Finland. mikko.paunio@stm.vn.fi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paunio
authors.forename: O P
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Heinonen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Virtanen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leinikki
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patja
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Peltola
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D004485:Eczema / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D007223:Infant; D008457:Measles / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology