title: Developmental profiles of mucosal immunity in pre-school children.
abstract: This study investigated the effect of attending pre-school on mucosal immunity. Children 3.5 to 5 years of age who attended pre-school were observed for a 10 month period. Demographic information was collected on previous childcare experiences, the home environment and clinical information relating to the child and the family. A daily illness log was kept for each child. A multivariate longitudinal analysis of the relation between immunoglobulins in saliva and age, gender, childcare experience, pre-school exposure, number of siblings, environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), atopy and hospitalisation was conducted. There was a positive association of higher IgA levels with the winter season and with children being older than 4 years (P < .001), having attended childcare prior to commencing pre-school (P < .05), and having been exposed to ETS at home (P < .05). Lower IgA levels were associated with being atopic (P < .05). Higher IgG levels were associated with exposure to ETS (P < .001), while lower levels were associated to having atopy. Higher IgM levels were associated with previous childcare experience (P < .01) whilst having been hospitalised was associated with having low salivary IgM levels (P < .01). Lagged analyses demonstrated that immunological parameters were affected by the number of respiratory infections in the preceding 2 months.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ewing
authors.forename: Diana C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Otczyk
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Occhipinti
authors.forename: Jennelle M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kyd
authors.forename: Maree
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gleeson
authors.forename: Allan W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Cripps
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D001315:Australia; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000276:immunology; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000276:immunology; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology*; D012621:Seasons; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution