Parental TB associated with offspring asthma and rhinitis

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Infections in early life are associated with asthma and allergies in one-generation settings; however, the link between parental infection and offspring phenotype is rarely investigated. We aim to study the association of parental TB before conception of the offspring with offspring asthma and rhinitis.METHODS: We included 2,965 offspring born in 1985–2004 and registered in the Norwegian prescription database to 1,790 parents born after 1960 with a history of TB, and included in the Norwegian TB registry. Offspring asthma (n = 582) and rhinitis (n = 929) were defined based on diagnosis, type of medication and prescribed medication ≥1 year. Associations of parental TB <8 years, ≥8 years but before offspring´s birth year and after birth (reference category) with offspring asthma and rhinitis were analysed using logistic regression.RESULTS: Asthma risk was higher in persons with parental TB in childhood (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.20–2.50) or later preconception (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.00–1.91) than in persons with parental TB after offspring´s birth; this was significant only in the maternal line (childhood: OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.13–3.37; later preconception: OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.08–2.80). Associations with rhinitis were not identified.CONCLUSIONS: Parental childhood TB was associated with higher asthma risk in future offspring. We speculate that TB impacts maternal immunity and dysregulates the offspring´s type 2 immunity, and that TB-induced epigenetic reprograming of immune defences are transferred to the offspring.

Preconception origins of asthma, allergies and lung function: The influence of previous generations on the respiratory health of our children

“…This was consistent also when adjusting for seropositivity to Toxocara in the offspring, pet keeping and other potential confounding factors [59]. In an analysis based on Norwegian registry data, including 2965 young adult offspring from 1790 parents with a history of tuberculosis, parental tuberculosis in childhood (vs. adulthood) was found to be associated with the use of asthma medication in future offspring, more pronounced in the maternal line [60].…”

Maternal and paternal tuberculosis is associated with increased asthma and respiratory symptoms in their offspring: a study from Northern Europe

“…To the best of our knowledge, there is only one previous human study by López-Cervantes et al that is based on Norwegian health registries that have investigated the association of parental TB with offspring asthma. This study found that persons with parents with TB in childhood or young adulthood had more asthma as compared to persons with parental TB that occurred after these offspring were born ( 10 ). However, this study was limited to the offspring of persons with a history of TB, while there is a need to study the association of parental TB with offspring asthma in a general population.…”

“…The increased risk of asthma in offspring associated with parental TB in our study is supported by findings in a register-based study. López-Cervantes et al investigated asthma and rhinitis in the offspring of parents with a history of TB, revealing that parental TB in childhood was associated with a higher risk of asthma in future offspring as compared to TB occurring after the birth of the offspring ( 10 ). The authors reported sex-specific patterns with stronger associations in the maternal line and the daughters.…”

ERS International Congress 2023: highlights from the Respiratory Infections Assembly

“…Mothers’ exposure to cleaning agents long before conception is a risk factor for offspring wheezing and asthma [ 41 ]. From both the maternal and paternal sides, TB or helminths increase the risk of respiratory disease, relating to both epigenetic and cell immunity changes [ 42 ]. The main factors leading to altered phenotypes in the offspring are summarised in figure 1 .…”