title: [Atopic diseases and intestinal helminth infections].
abstract: The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between past and current intestinal helminth infections, and asthma, allergic rhino-conjunctivitis, and atopic dermatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed on 84 patients aged 2-18 years with a mean of 9.31 +/- 3.75 years. Helminth infection was determined by stool examinations and questionnaire. Asthma was diagnosed by spirometry, atopic dermatitis and allergic rhino-conjunctivitis by skin prick testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stool examinations revealed infection with A. lumbricoides in 5.95% of cases and E. vermicularis in 4.76% of cases. 8 patients had positive tests for at least a helminth. The most frequent respiratory symptoms were caught, wheezing and dispneea. Spirometry showed anormal results in 4.76% of patients and skin tests were positive in 20.24% of cases. 11 patients were diagnosed with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and 5 with atopic dermatitis. A history of infection with E. vermicularis was associated with increased risk of atopic dermatitis (OR 1.86), asthma (OR 2.11), and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (OR 1.34), and a positive stool examination for A. lumbricoides was negatively associated with asthma (OR 2.60).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Current A. lumbricoides infection protects against asthma while past infection with E. vermicularis are risk factors for allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, asthma and atopic dermatitis. Interactions depend on the type of helminth and time of infestation.
authors.affiliation: Facultatea de Medicină, Disciplina de Medicină de Familie, Universitatea de Medicină si Farmacie Gr.T. Popa Iaşi.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rîpă
authors.forename: Roxana-Gabriela
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Bahnea
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cojocaru
authors.forename: Mihaela Cătălina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Luca
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ivan
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luca
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D001196:Ascariasis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D017164:Ascaris lumbricoides / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D017229:Enterobiasis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004757:Enterobius / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012383:Romania / Q000453:epidemiology; D012882:Skin Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires