Transient suppression of atopy in early childhood is associated with high vaccination coverage.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze prevalences of allergic sensitization and atopic disease in relation to vaccination coverage.


METHODS
A German atopy risk-enhanced birth cohort of 1314 neonates who were born in 1990 in 5 German cities was studied. A total of 943 children participated in the follow-up visit at 5 years of age. Atopic symptoms and diagnoses (derived from structured interviews), total serum immunoglobulin E, and specific immunoglobulin E against 9 common allergens (CAP Radio-Allergo-Sorbent Test Fluoro-Enzyme Immunoassay) were evaluated. Children were grouped into dose percentiles according to cumulative doses of any vaccine given up to 5 years of age (<10%, 0-11 doses; 10%-50%, 12-14 doses; 51%-90%, 15-20 doses; >90%, 21-27 doses).


RESULTS
The cumulative vaccine dose was inversely related to atopic dermatitis prevalences at 6 months (13.8%, 5.2%, 5.1%, and 4.5%), 2 years (16.9%, 10.9%, 7.4%, and 3.7%), 3 years (27.6%, 16.4%, 13.5%, and 4.5%), and 5 years (28.3%, 16.0%, 9.3%, and 11.9%). Asthma followed a similar pattern at age 3 (22.4%, 8.6%, 6.7%, and 6.3%), age 4 (20.0%, 8.6%, 8.9%, and 8.1%), and age 5 (20.8%, 12.6%, 10.3%, and 5.5%). Allergic sensitization rates were inversely related to the cumulative vaccine dose at age 2 (37.5%, 29.1%, 23.8%, and 12.9%).


CONCLUSIONS
Children with a higher vaccination coverage seemed to be transiently better protected against development of atopy in the first years of life.
Grüber
Christoph
C
Department of Pediatric Pneumology and Immunology, Charité-Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany. christoph.grueber@charite.de
Illi
Sabina
S
Lau
Susanne
S
Nickel
Renate
R
Forster
Johannes
J
Kamin
Wolfgang
W
Bauer
Carl-Peter
CP
Wahn
Volker
V
Wahn
Ulrich
U
D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods*; D014612:Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage
D014612:Vaccines; D007073:Immunoglobulin E