title: Herpes simplex type I infection and atopy association in Turkish children with asthma and allergic rhinitis.
abstract: This study investigated the association between HSV-1 infection and atopy by comparing seropositivity to HSV-1 in atopic children with asthma and allergic rhinitis and in non-atopic children. Totally 249 children randomly selected from the university outpatient pediatric clinics were prospectively enrolled in the study between September 1 and November 30, 2007. Serum samples were examined using the virus neutralization test (VNT) for HSV-1 Immunoglobulin G(IgG) seropositivity. Skin prick tests (SPTs) were performed to determine atopic status. The results showed that HSV-1 IgG seropositivity was significantly higher in atopic children (56.8%) with asthma and allergic rhinitis than in the age-matched non-atopic children group (30.4%) (p<0.001). Although the occurrence of atopy was higher in seropositive girls (57%) than in seropositive boys (47%), the difference was not significant (p=0.329). These results support a possible relationship between the atopic status of children with asthma and allergic rhinitis and HSV-1 infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Allergic Diseases, Maternity and Children Hospital, Samsun, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mahir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Igde
authors.forename: Fusun Artiran
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Igde
authors.forename: Zafer
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yazici
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000150:complications*; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G