Parasitic diseases are comorbidities in children with allergic disorders

R.M. Fayzullina, A.V. Sannikova, R.R. Gafurova

Bashkir State Medical University, Ufa

Background: currently, high occurrence of allergic disorders as well as parasitic infections in children is reported. Parasitic diseases and allergic disorders which have common pathogenic mechanisms are comorbid conditions. Therefore, when assessing clinical course and the severity of allergic disorders in children, potential potentiating effects of parasitic invasions should be considered.

Aim: to determine the rate of parasitosis and their effect on the clinical course of allergic disorders in children.

Patients and Methods: 262 children with allergic disorders (i.e., atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma, urticaria) were enrolled. All children underwent complex parasitic examination, i.e., the levels of specific IgA, IgM, and IgG, circulating immune complexes against parasitic antigens were measured (by ELISA), helminth eggs and/or G. lamblia cysts were identified by standard microsco py. Clinical manifestations of allergic disorders (clinical course, severity, prevalence, control) in children were evaluated depending on the presence of parasitosis.

Results: parasitic infections were diagnosed in 42.7% of children with allergic disorders. The most common parasitic invasions were lambliasis (65.2%), ascariasis (19.6%), opisthorchiasis (9.8%), and toxocariasis (0.9%). The rate of lambliasis was significantly higher in children with atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, and asthma as well as in children younger than 12 years. Helminth infections were more common in children with urticaria. Mild and moderate controllable (p=0.0012) and uncontrollable (p=0.038) persistent asthma, moderate persistent allergic rhinitis (p=0.004), and moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (p=0.002) were more common in children with parasitosis.

Conclusion: high probability of comorbid parasitic invasions should be considered when assessing the severity of allergic disorders in children and treatment efficacy as well as controlling risk factors.

Keywords: comorbidity, children, allergic disorders, parasitosis, rate, severity, level  of control.

For citation: Fayzullina R.M., Sannikova A.V., Gafurova R.R. Parasitic diseases are comorbidities in children with allergic disorders.
RMJ. 2020;2:24–27.