%0 Journal Article
%T The prevalence and identity of Chlamydia-specific IgE in children with asthma and other chronic respiratory symptoms
%A Katir K Patel
%A Erica A Anderson
%A Paul S Salva
%A Wilmore C Webley
%J Respiratory Research
%D 2012
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1465-9921-13-32
%X We obtained BAL fluid and serum from pediatric respiratory disease patients who were generally unresponsive to corticosteroid treatment as well as sera from age-matched control patients who saw their doctor for wellness checkups. Chlamydia-specific IgE was isolated from BAL and serum samples and their specificity determined by Western blot techniques. The presence of Chlamydia was confirmed by species-specific PCR and BAL culture assays.Chlamydial DNA was detected in the BAL fluid of 134/197 (68%) patients. Total IgE increased with age until 15 years old and then decreased. Chlamydia-specific IgE was detected in the serum and/or BAL of 107/197 (54%) patients suffering from chronic respiratory disease, but in none of the 35 healthy control sera (p£¿<£¿0.0001). Of the 74 BAL culture-positive patients, 68 (91.9%, p£¿=£¿0.0001) tested positive for Chlamydia-specific IgE. Asthmatic patients had significantly higher IgE levels compared to non-asthmatics (p£¿=£¿0.0001). Patients who were positive for Chlamydia DNA or culture had significantly higher levels of serum IgE compared to negative patients (p£¿=£¿0.0071 and p£¿=£¿0.0001 respectively). Only 6 chlamydial antigens induced Chlamydia-specific IgE and patients with C. pneumoniae-specific IgE had significantly greater levels of total IgE compared to C. pneumoniae-specific IgE negative ones (p£¿=£¿0.0001).IgE antibodies play a central role in allergic inflammation; therefore production of Chlamydia-specific IgE may prove significant in the exacerbation of chronic, allergic airway diseases, thus highlighting a direct role for Chlamydia in asthma pathogenesis.
%K Asthma
%K Specific IgE
%K Chlamydia
%U http://respiratory-research.com/content/13/1/32/abstract