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Factors influencing the infant gut microbiome at age 3-6 months: Findings from the ethnically diverse Vitamin D Antenatal Asthma Reduction Trial (VDAART).
Sordillo, JE, Zhou, Y, McGeachie, MJ, Ziniti, J, Lange, N, Laranjo, N, Savage, JR, Carey, V, O'Connor, G, Sandel, M, et al
The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology. 2017;(2):482-491.e14
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Abstract
BACKGROUND The gut microbiome in infancy influences immune system maturation, and may have an important impact on allergic disease risk. OBJECTIVE We sought to determine how prenatal and early life factors impact the gut microbiome in a relatively large, ethnically diverse study population of infants at age 3 to 6 months, who were enrolled in Vitamin D Antenatal Asthma Reduction Trial, a clinical trial of vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy to prevent asthma and allergies in offspring. METHODS We performed 16S rRNA gene sequencing on 333 infants' stool samples. Microbial diversity was computed using the Shannon index. Factor analysis applied to the top 25 most abundant taxa revealed 4 underlying bacterial coabundance groups; the first dominated by Firmicutes (Lachnospiraceae/Clostridiales), the second by Proteobacteria (Klebsiella/Enterobacter), the third by Bacteriodetes, and the fourth by Veillonella. Scores for coabundance groups were used as outcomes in regression models, with prenatal/birth and demographic characteristics as independent predictors. Multivariate analysis, using all microbial community members, was also conducted. RESULTS White race/ethnicity was associated with lower diversity but higher Bacteroidetes coabundance scores. C-section birth was associated with higher diversity, but decreased Bacteroidetes coabundance scores. Firmicutes scores were higher for infants born by C-section. Breast-fed infants had lower proportions of Clostridiales. Cord blood vitamin D was linked to increased Lachnobacterium, but decreased Lactococcus. CONCLUSIONS The findings presented here suggest that race, mode of delivery, breast-feeding, and cord blood vitamin D levels are associated with infant gut microbiome composition, with possible long-term implications for immune system modulation and asthma/allergic disease incidence.
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[Polioxidonium in comprehensive therapy of recurrent herpetic stomatitis in children with allergic diseases].
Kuznetsova, OIu, Maksimovskaia, LN, Balabolkin, II, Gorshenina, AP, Semenov, GV
Stomatologiia. 2008;(6):52-5
Abstract
In the study with participation of 96 children of 1-7 years age with recurrent herpetic stomatitis and allergic diseases therapeutic efficacy of Polioxidonium was investigated. Polioxidonium was used in combination with traditional methods and with He-Ne-laser irradiation. Local oral cavity immunity, indexes of cellular immunity (in the reaction of lymphocytes blast-transformation with phytohemagglutinin), indexes of humoral immunity (IgG and IgE) were studied, complement C(3)-component was determined. Polioxidonium in combination with traditional methods and with laser therapy for recurrent herpetic stomatitis treatment in children with allergic diseases influenced favourably upon clinical course of allergic diseases, let achieve stable remission, increased efficacy of their treatment, promoted immunological status and shorten the terms of medical rehabilitation.
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[Sublingual immunotherapy for allergic diseases].
Nelken, D
Harefuah. 2000;(11):930-2, 1007
Abstract
4 patients suffering from severe pollinosis and/or allergic rhinitis, with or without asthma, were treated as follows: 30 minutes before breakfast the vaccine was dropped sublingually and retained for 2-3 minutes before being swallowed. It was a commercial preparation of allergen, diluted 50% w/v in glycerin. This stock solution was then diluted in physiological saline containing 0.05% human albumin and kept refrigerated in a dark glass bottle for up to 4 weeks. Of the first dilution which contained 10 Au/ml, 1 drop was given on day 1 and 1 drop more each day until days 5 to 17, when 5 drops were given daily. Then 1000 and then 2500 Au/ml were given sequentially in the same manner, and finally 5000 was given for up to 2 years. A maintenance dose of 3 drops of 5000 Au/ml twice weekly was then prescribed. 41 patients showed striking clinical improvement after about 6 months of treatment. A definite reduction in the use of other medications was achieved in all. Sublingual immunotherapy is practically free of unwanted side effects and easy to self-administer at home. To establish the specificity of sublingual immunotherapy, patients who had severe allergic symptoms to one pollen allergen causing symptoms in the spring and to a second in the autumn, were first immunized sublingually against a single allergen. A year later, after symptoms due to this allergen had subsided, and if symptoms caused by the second allergen had not improved, immunization against the second allergen was started. Sublingual immunotherapy acts by increasing mucosal antibodies at the site of entry of the allergen into the respiratory tract. It is a safe and practical procedure with results comparable to subcutaneous allergy injections.