Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Immunology logoLink to Immunology
. 1978 Aug;35(2):281–288.

Regulation of asthma by intestinal parasites. Investigation of possible mechanisms.

K J Turner, E H Quinn, H R Anderson
PMCID: PMC1457269  PMID: 571404

Abstract

The serum IgE levels of asthmatic subjects from Papua, New Guniea (PNG) were similar to those of corresponding control subjects but significantly higher than Caucasian asthmatics from Western Australia (AUS). Notwithstanding these differences in total IgE, the levels of IgE antibodies to D. pteronyssinus (RAST units) were similar in both asthmatic groups. The mite specific IgE antibody levels were independent of those to Ascaris and hookworm, suggesting that antigenic competition is not a factor of importance in sensitization to environmental allergens in the tropics. This study does not support the proposal that the low prevalence of allergic disease in tropical areas where parasitism is endemic is attributed to mast cell blockade through saturation of IgE receptors.

Full text

PDF
281

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Alcasid M. L., Chiaramonte L. T., Kim H. J., Zohn B., Bongiorno J. R., Mullin W. Bronchial asthma and intestinal parasites. N Y State J Med. 1973 Jul 1;73(13):1786–1788. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Anderson H. R. The epidemiological and allergic features of asthma in the New Guinea Highlands. Clin Allergy. 1974 Jun;4(2):171–183. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1974.tb01374.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Berg T., Johansson S. G. IgE concentrations in children with atopic diseases. A clinical study. Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol. 1969;36(3):219–232. doi: 10.1159/000230745. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Chacko D. D. Intestinal parasites and asthma. N Engl J Med. 1970 Jul 9;283(2):101–101. doi: 10.1056/nejm197007092830218. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Godfrey R. C. Asthma and IgE levels in rural and urban communities of The Gambia. Clin Allergy. 1975 Jun;5(2):201–207. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1975.tb01853.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Godfrey R. C., Gradidge C. F. Allergic sensitisation of human lung fragments prevented by saturation of IgE binding sites. Nature. 1976 Feb 12;259(5543):484–486. doi: 10.1038/259484a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Grove D. I., Burston T. O., Forbes I. J. Immunoglobin E and eosinophil levels in atopic and non-atopic populations infested with hookworm. Clin Allergy. 1974 Sep;4(3):295–300. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1974.tb01388.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Havnen J., Amlie P. A., Hvatum M., Oseid S., Veggan T., Aas K. IgE concentrations in allergic asthma in children. Arch Dis Child. 1973 Nov;48(11):850–855. doi: 10.1136/adc.48.11.850. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Jarrett E. E., Stewart D. C. Potentiation of rat reaginic (IgE) antibody by helminth infection. Simultaneous potentiation of separate reagins. Immunology. 1972 Nov;23(5):749–755. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Jarrett E., Bazin H. Elevation of total serum IgE in rats following helminth parasite infection. Nature. 1974 Oct 18;251(5476):613–614. doi: 10.1038/251613a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Orr T. S., Blair A. M. Potentiated reagin response to egg albumin and conalbumin in Nippostrongylus brasiliensis infected rats. Life Sci. 1969 Oct 15;8(20):1073–1077. doi: 10.1016/0024-3205(69)90459-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Pearson R. S., Cunnington A. M. The importance of mites in house dust sensitivity in Barbadian asthmatics. Clin Allergy. 1973 Sep;3(3):299–306. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1973.tb01337.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Purtilo D. T., Riggs R. S., Evans R., Neafie R. C. Humoral immunity of parasitized, malnourished children. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1976 Mar;25(2):229–232. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.1976.25.229. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Tullis D. C. Bronchial asthma associated with intestinal parasites. N Engl J Med. 1970 Feb 12;282(7):370–372. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197002122820706. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Turner K. J., Baldo B. A., Anderson H. R. Asthma in the highlands of New Guinea Total IgE levels and incidence of IgE antibodies to house dust mite and Ascaris lumbricoides. Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol. 1975;48(6):784–799. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Turner K. J. IgE globulins and immunity. Med J Aust. 1974 Dec 7;2(23):846–850. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1974.tb93709.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Turner K. J., Rosman D. L., O'Mahony J. Prevalence and familial association of atopic disease and its relationship to serum IgE levels in 1,061 school children and their families. Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol. 1974;47(5):650–664. doi: 10.1159/000231257. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Van Dellen R. G., Thompson J. H., Jr Absence of intestinal parasites in asthma. N Engl J Med. 1971 Jul 15;285(3):146–148. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197107152850304. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Immunology are provided here courtesy of British Society for Immunology

RESOURCES