Susceptibility to respiratory infections in school children after measles. Results of epidemiological study in Krakow
Jedrychowski, W.ła.; Maugeri, U.; Jedrychowska-Bianchi, I.
Przeglad Epidemiologiczny 57(3): 421-429
2003
ISSN/ISBN: 0033-2100 PMID: 14682160 Document Number: 556334
Purpose of the study was answering the question whether measles experienced in young children may lead to an increased susceptibility to respiratory infections. In order to verify the hypothesis, the analysis of the prospective study on respiratory morbidity in children has been carried out in Krakow. In the course of the study a detailed epidemiologic interview on current and past respiratory diseases diagnosed by physician was collected in consecutive years of the survey (1995-1997). Susceptibility to respiratory infections has been defined as excess number of respiratory episodes over the third quartile of the distribution of number of episodes in upper and lower respiratory tract. The results of the study showed that susceptibility to upper respiratory infections was about twice so high (OR = 1.97; 95%CI: 1.27-3.05) among those children who experienced measles. Amongst other factors potentially responsible for an increased susceptibility to respiratory infections, only atopy and fungal exposure within home were associated with the higher risk The analysis performed for lower respiratory episodes confirmed the findings obtained for upper respiratory tract infections, however, the effect of atopy was much higher pronounced.