title: Unpacking the 'black box' of total pathogen burden: is number or type of pathogens most predictive of all-cause mortality in the United States?
abstract: A 'black box' paradigm has prevailed in which researchers have focused on the association between the total number of pathogens for which individuals are seropositive (i.e. total pathogen burden) and various chronic diseases, while largely ignoring the role that seropositivity for specific combinations of pathogens may play in the aetiology of such outcomes and consequently mortality. We examined the association between total pathogen burden as well as specific pathogen combinations and all-cause mortality in the United States. Data were from individuals aged ⩾25 years tested for cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1, HSV-2 and Helicobacter pylori, with mortality follow-up to 31 December 2006 in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III (N = 6522). We did not observe a statistically significant graded relationship between total pathogen burden level and all-cause mortality. Furthermore, compared to those seronegative for all four pathogens, the greatest statistically significant rate of all-cause mortality was for those CMV+/HSV-2+ (hazard ratio 1·95, 95% confidence interval 1·13-3·35) adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, education level, body mass index (kg/m2) and smoking status. Interventions targeting prevention or treatment of particular pathogens may be more effective for reducing mortality than those focused solely on reducing overall pathogen burden.
authors.affiliation: Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health,University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee,Milwaukee,WI,USA.
authors.forename: A M
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0377-6376
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Simanek
authors.affiliation: CUNY School of Public Health,Hunter College, City University of New York,NY,USA.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Dowd
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology,College of Arts and Sciences, University of Wyoming,Laramie,WY,USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zajacova
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology,Gillings School of Global Public Health,University of North Carolina,Chapel Hill,NC,USA.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Aiello
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology*; D002423:Cause of Death; D060085:Coinfection / Q000401:mortality; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology*; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000276:immunology; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000914:Antibodies, Viral
keywords: Cytomegalovirus; Helicobacter pylori; herpes simplex virus; mortality; pathogen burden