title: Total and specific IgE (house dust mite and intestinal helminths) in asthmatics and controls from Gondar, Ethiopia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role, if any, of parasitosis in the development of asthma remains incompletely understood; both 'protective' and 'predictive' associations have been reported. We report a study which examined immunoglobulin (Ig) E responses to two common helminths in asthmatics living in Ethiopia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the frequencies of specific IgE antibodies to Ascaris and Necator species and to Der p 1 among 84 adult asthmatics and a referent group of nonasthmatics.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case-control analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total IgE levels were not different between the two groups. The presence of specific IgE to Der p 1 was strongly associated with asthma (P = 0.001). Raised levels of Ascaris-(P = 0.010) and Necator- (P = 0.001) specific IgE antibodies were more common among referents; there were no associations between specific IgE production to Der p 1 and either of the two parasites.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings confirm the association between Der p 1 sensitization and asthma among urban, adult Ethiopians. While they also indicate a negative relationship with two indicators of helminth infestation it appears that this is not mediated through the immunological response to common aeroallergens.
authors.affiliation: Gondar College of Medical Sciences, Gondar, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Selassie
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cullinan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pritchard
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Ayres
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Newman Taylor
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000032:analysis*; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D017164:Ascaris lumbricoides / Q000276:immunology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis*; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology*; D017221:Necator americanus / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D006023:Glycoproteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E