Journal article
Early childhood infections and immunisation and the development of allergic disease in particular asthma in a high-risk cohort: A prospective study of allergy-prone children from birth to six years
JA Thomson, C Widjaja, AAP Darmaputra, A Lowe, MC Matheson, CM Bennett, K Allen, MJ Abramson, C Hosking, D Hill, SC Dharmage
Pediatric Allergy and Immunology | WILEY | Published : 2010
Abstract
The role of early childhood infections and immunisation in the development of allergic diseases remains controversial. To examine these associations, six hundred and twenty infants with first-degree relatives with allergic diseases were recruited into the Melbourne Atopy Cohort Study. Information on risk factors and outcomes was collected by interviewer administered questionnaire and was based on parental report and/or a physician's diagnosis. Risk factors examined included early childhood infections (including gastroenteritis, otitis media and lower respiratory tract infections) and immunisations in the first 2-yr of life. Outcomes were current asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema at 6-yr o..
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Funding Acknowledgements
MACS was initially supported by Nestle Australia, while the Asthma Foundation of Victoria supported the 10-yr follow-up. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Mercy Hospital for Women. We acknowledge the assistance of Christine Axelrad, RN Mercy Hospital for Women and Anne Balloch MSc, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne for data collection and management. Shyamali Dharmage, Melanie Matheson, Adrian Lowe and Katie Allen are supported by the National Health & Medical Research Council of Australia. All authors declare that there are no competing interests and therefore have nothing to declare. The Corresponding Author has the right to grant on behalf of all authors and does grant on behalf of all authors, an exclusive licence.