title: CagA-positive Helicobacter pylori infection may increase the risk of food allergy development.
abstract: The aim of this study was to test whether patients with symptomatic food allergy and significant levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE) to alimentary antigens were more likely infected by H. pylori, especially by strains expressing the CagA protein, with respect to controls. A group of 38 patients with symptomatic food allergy and 53 age-matched controls were examined serologically for H. pylori infectious status, and for CagA seropositivity. IgE to alimentary allergens were measured by a commercial kit. The prevalence of H. pylori infection in patients with food allergy and controls was similar (42.1%, and 48.3%, respectively). However, anti-CagA antibodies in H. pylori-infected persons were detected in 62.5% of patients with food allergy, and 28% of controls (P = 0.030, odds ratio = 4.29). The mean level of IgE to the most common alimentary antigens in serum samples from infected patients with anti-CagA antibodies was significantly higher than in CagA-negative infected patients: 3.28 kU/L (SD 3.93), vs. 1.99 kU/L (SD 1.53), P = 0.002, 95% confidence interval = 0.61 to 2.53). Infection by CagA-positive H. pylori increases the risk of developing food allergy.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Internal Medicine, University of Siena, Italy. figura@unisi.it
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Figura
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perrone
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gennari
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Orlandini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giannace
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lenzi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vagliasindi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bianciardi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rottoli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002648:Child; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014510:Urease / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C080866:cagA protein, Helicobacter pylori; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D014510:Urease