title: Cytomegalovirus infection and development of allergic diseases in early childhood: interaction with EBV infection?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic replication of cytomegalovirus and EBV in early life may affect the immune system and play a role in the development of allergy in children.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the relation between cytomegalovirus infection and allergic disorders in children, including a possible interaction with EBV infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  From a prospective birth cohort study in Stockholm, on factors of importance for development of allergy, 2581 four-year-old children were enrolled. The classification of allergic diseases was based on questionnaire answers and determination of IgE antibodies to common airborne and food allergens. IgG to cytomegalovirus was determined by a commercial ELISA and to EBV by indirect immunofluorescence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1191 (46%) children were cytomegalovirus-seropositive. There were no significant associations between seropositivity to cytomegalovirus and allergic manifestations, such as bronchial asthma, suspected allergic rhinitis, or atopic dermatitis. Seropositivity to cytomegalovirus alone, ie, without seropositivity to EBV, was related to IgE antibodies to airborne and food allergens (adjusted odds ratio, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.2-2.9). An antagonism between cytomegalovirus and EBV in relation to sensitization to airborne and food allergens was suggested ( P = .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study does not support the hypothesis that previous cytomegalovirus infection plays an important role in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma, suspected allergic rhinitis, or atopic dermatitis in children. However, in the absence of EBV infection, cytomegalovirus infection may be related to sensitization to airborne and food allergens.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sidorchuk
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wickman
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pershagen
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lagarde
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Linde
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000150:complications*; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000209:etiology; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000209:etiology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology