title: Respiratory infections and lung function in an Australian Aboriginal community.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association between serological evidence of past infections with common respiratory pathogens and lung function in members of an isolated community of Aborigines from tropical coastal north-western Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  FEV(1) and FVC were assessed by dry bellows spirometer. Serum IgG titres to 11 common respiratory pathogens were assayed. Smoking history was assessed by questionnaire. Reciprocal positive IgG titres were taken as >or=10 for all pathogens with the exception of Legionella spp. (>or=40) and Burkholderia pseudomallei (>or=20). Linear regression analysis examined associations between titres and lung function after adjustment for age, height, gender and smoking, separately for adults (age > 17 years) and children.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An increased total number of positive IgG titres was significantly associated with reduced FEV(1) (P = 0.01) and FEV(1)/FVC ratio (P = 0.01) suggesting the presence of airflow obstruction. This association was independent of age, gender, height, weight and smoking status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The burden of past respiratory infections may be an important determinant of airway function in this Aboriginal community.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia. bill.musk@health.wa.gov.au
authors.forename: A W Bill
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Musk
authors.forename: Alan L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: Lyle J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: Gerard F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lake
authors.forename: Clayton L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Golledge
authors.forename: Nicholas H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: De Klerk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology; D014904:Western Australia