Infections in child day care centers and later development of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis: prospective follow-up survey 12 years after controlled randomized hygiene intervention.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of successful prevention of common infections in child day care centers on the later development of allergic diseases.


METHODS
Prospective follow-up survey with a questionnaire administered 12 years after a controlled randomized hygiene intervention.


METHODS
Twenty municipal child day care centers in Oulu, Finland.


METHODS
A questionnaire was sent to 1354 prior participants (98%) in the intervention trial. The response rate was 68% (928 of 1354 participants). MAIN INTERVENTION: Hygiene intervention from March 1, 1991, to May 31, 1992.


METHODS
The number of respondents who had a diagnosis of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and/or atopic dermatitis made by a physician, and the number of those who reported symptoms of atopic diseases.


RESULTS
Asthma was diagnosed by a physician in 48 of the 481 respondents (10%) from the intervention child day care centers, with markedly fewer infections, and in 46 of the 447 controls (10%) (relative risk, 1.0; 95% confidence interval, 0.7-1.4). Similarly, no differences were found in the numbers of children who had a diagnosis of other atopic diseases or who had reported such symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevention of common respiratory tract and enteric infections during early childhood does not change later allergic morbidity.
Dunder
Teija
T
Department of Pediatrics, University of Oulu, PO Box 5000, FIN-90014 Oulu, Finland. teija.dunder@oulu.fi
Tapiainen
Terhi
T
Pokka
Tytti
T
Uhari
Matti
M
D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D002656:Child Day Care Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006266:Health Education; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene / Q000193:education*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control