Helminth infections and allergic diseases: a review of the literature

Published: December 27, 2021

There is considerable research interest in the role of helminth infections in the development of allergic diseases. However, findings from previous studies are mixed and some reviews are outdated. This paper reviews the global literature to determine the association between helminth infections and allergic diseases.

In a recent article in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI), Arrais et al.  performed a wide search on the most relevant databases for studies published up to January 2020. The authors analysed observational epidemiological studies of children and adults, reporting associations between helminth infections and asthma, allergic rhinitis, eczema and atopy. They found 80 studies worldwide, with up to 99,967 participants evaluated.

Overall, the authors did not observe an association between helminth infections and allergic diseases. There was, however, evidence that A. lumbricoides infections was associated with an increased risk of bronchial hyperreactivity in children (a mean estimated relative risk increase of 41%), and was associated with an increased risk of atopy among adults (a mean estimated relative risk increase of 37%). Nevertheless, such findings must be considered as a low to moderate strength of “confidence” (strength of evidence).

Overall helminth infections are neither associated with a positive nor a negative risk for allergic diseases, with the exception for A. lumbricoides, that may lead to an increased risk of bronchial hyperreactivity in children and atopy in adults. However, more studies are needed to clarify potential effects of chronic helminth infections on allergic diseases and their clinical presentation.

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI) is an official scientific journal of the AAAAI, and is the most-cited journal in the field of allergy and clinical immunology.

Full Article