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Hill M, Obeng-Gyasi E. The Association of Cytomegalovirus IgM and Allostatic Load. Diseases 2022; 10:diseases10040070. [PMID: 36278569 PMCID: PMC9590072 DOI: 10.3390/diseases10040070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a deoxyribonucleic acid virus that affects a significant proportion of the worldwide population; after primary infection, it goes into a latent state and can be reactivated, primarily after a reduction in host immune defenses. Methods: This study evaluated the association of acute cytomegalovirus infection (CMV IgM) and Allostatic Load (AL) by sociodemographic factors using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001–2004 among participants (aged 20–49 years). CMV infection was determined by the level of CMV IgM antibody in serum samples. AL was assessed as a combination of 10 biomarkers from the cardiovascular, inflammatory, and metabolic systems. The evaluation of the association between CMV infection and AL included descriptive statistics and logistic regression models, which were adjusted for demographic and behavioral covariates. Results: AL was more elevated among those who were older, male, those with lower education, those performing limited physical activity, and smokers. CMV was more elevated in females than males among those who consumed alcohol and cigarette smokers. In Pearson’s correlation analysis, there was a slight positive correlation between CMV IgM and AL, with triglycerides and Body Mass Index (BMI) the most strongly correlated with AL. Binary logistic regression showed no significant relationship between high AL and positive CMV IgM but did show a significant relationship between high AL and age (OR = 1.0592, 95% CI 1.0215–1.0983, p = 0.00715). The findings of this study provide insight into the relationship between CMV and AL and provide awareness of factors that affect their relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Hill
- Department of Built Environment, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA
- Environmental Health and Disease Laboratory, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA
| | - Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi
- Department of Built Environment, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA
- Environmental Health and Disease Laboratory, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-336-285-3132
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Sly PD, Trottier BA, Bulka CM, Cormier SA, Fobil J, Fry RC, Kim KW, Kleeberger S, Kumar P, Landrigan PJ, Lodrop Carlsen KC, Pascale A, Polack F, Ruchirawat M, Zar HJ, Suk WA. The interplay between environmental exposures and COVID-19 risks in the health of children. Environ Health 2021; 20:34. [PMID: 33771185 PMCID: PMC7996114 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-021-00716-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND An unusual feature of SARS-Cov-2 infection and the COVID-19 pandemic is that children are less severely affected than adults. This is especially paradoxical given the epidemiological links between poor air quality and increased COVID-19 severity in adults and that children are generally more vulnerable than adults to the adverse consequences of air pollution. OBJECTIVES To identify gaps in knowledge about the factors that protect children from severe SARS-Cov-2 infection even in the face of air pollution, and to develop a transdisciplinary research strategy to address these gaps. METHODS An international group of researchers interested in children's environmental health was invited to identify knowledge gaps and to develop research questions to close these gaps. DISCUSSION Key research questions identified include: what are the effects of SAR-Cov-2 infection during pregnancy on the developing fetus and child; what is the impact of age at infection and genetic susceptibility on disease severity; why do some children with COVID-19 infection develop toxic shock and Kawasaki-like symptoms; what are the impacts of toxic environmental exposures including poor air quality, chemical and metal exposures on innate immunity, especially in the respiratory epithelium; what is the possible role of a "dirty" environment in conveying protection - an example of the "hygiene hypothesis"; and what are the long term health effects of SARS-Cov-2 infection in early life. CONCLUSION A concerted research effort by a multidisciplinary team of scientists is needed to understand the links between environmental exposures, especially air pollution and COVID-19. We call for specific research funding to encourage basic and clinical research to understand if/why exposure to environmental factors is associated with more severe disease, why children appear to be protected, and how innate immune responses may be involved. Lessons learned about SARS-Cov-2 infection in our children will help us to understand and reduce disease severity in adults, the opposite of the usual scenario.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter D Sly
- Children's Health and Environment Program, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Brittany A Trottier
- Superfund Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 530 Davis Drive, Durham, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Catherine M Bulka
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Stephania A Cormier
- LSU Superfund Research Program, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, USA
| | - Julius Fobil
- Department of Biological, Environmental and Occupational Health Science, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Rebecca C Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Kyoung-Woong Kim
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Steven Kleeberger
- Immunity, Inflammation, and Disease Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, USA
| | | | - Philip J Landrigan
- Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, USA
| | - Karin C Lodrop Carlsen
- Division of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University of Oslo & Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Antonio Pascale
- Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Republic, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | | | | | - Heather J Zar
- Dept of Paediatrics & Child Health and SA-MRC Unit on Child & Adolescent Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - William A Suk
- Superfund Research Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 530 Davis Drive, Durham, NC, 27709, USA.
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