Environmental exposure to Staphylococcus aureus and SEB are associated with asthma symptoms and worse lung function among low-income, urban children with asthma

Meghan F. Davis; Shanna Ludwig; Jonathan Josephs-Spaulding; Kathryn Dalton; Michelle Newman; Susan L. Balcer-Whaley; Roger Peng; Corinne Keet; Meredith C. McCormack; Elizabeth C. Matsui

doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2017.12.612

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Environmental exposure to Staphylococcus aureus and SEB are associated with asthma symptoms and worse lung function among low-income, urban children with asthma

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Environmental exposure to Staphylococcus aureus and SEB are associated with asthma symptoms and worse lung function among low-income, urban children with asthma

Meghan F. Davis, Shanna Ludwig, Jonathan Josephs-Spaulding, Kathryn Dalton, Michelle Newman, Susan L. Balcer-Whaley, Roger Peng, Corinne Keet, Meredith C. McCormack and Elizabeth C. Matsui

Journal of allergy and clinical immunology, Vol.141(2 Supplement), pp.AB193-AB193

02/2018

DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2017.12.612

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Abstract

Rationale Staphylococcus aureus (SA) nasal colonization has been linked to asthma symptoms, but whether environmental exposures to SA or staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs), independent of colonization, contribute to asthma morbidity is unclear. Methods We measured SA (femB) and SEA-C genes in home dust using real-time PCR and cultured nasal swabs in an ongoing cohort (NCT02251379) of 5-17yo African-American children with asthma. We tested associations between environmental staphylococcal exposures and respiratory symptoms and lung function in 48 children across 50 home visits. Models adjusted for SA colonization, allergic sensitizations, mouse/cockroach allergen concentrations, household smoking, demographics, and repeated observations within participants. Results All homes had detectable SA, with a median of 5.7x105 gene copies per gram of dust [25th-75th %iles: 2.4x105-4.1x106]. Detection of SE genes was: SEA 30%, SEB 77%, SEC 50%. Detection of SA nasal colonization was 67%. Increasing concentrations of the SA gene (femB) were associated with 10-fold higher odds of having a FEV1/FVC ratio <80% (p<0.002) and 5.9-fold higher odds of having a 12%+ improvement in FEV1 after albuterol treatment (p<0.02) but were not associated with increased symptoms. Detection of SEB, but not other SEs, was associated with 3.8-fold higher odds of having a day with activities slowed by asthma (95% CI: 1.34-10.6, p<0.02), and 100% of patients with asthma-related speech impairment were exposed to SEB. SEB exposure typically was associated with increased frequency of other symptom outcomes, but these were not statistically significant. Conclusions Home dust exposures to SA and SEB, independent of SA nasal colonization, may worsen existing asthma among inner-city children.

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Title: Subtitle: Environmental exposure to Staphylococcus aureus and SEB are associated with asthma symptoms and worse lung function among low-income, urban children with asthma
Creators: Meghan F. Davis - Johns Hopkins University
Shanna Ludwig - Johns Hopkins University
Jonathan Josephs-Spaulding - Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Kathryn Dalton - Johns Hopkins University
Michelle Newman - Johns Hopkins University
Susan L. Balcer-Whaley - Johns Hopkins Medicine
Roger Peng - Johns Hopkins University
Corinne Keet - Johns Hopkins University
Meredith C. McCormack - Johns Hopkins Pulmonary, Baltimore, MD
Elizabeth C. Matsui - Johns Hopkins University
Resource Type: Abstract
Publication Details: Journal of allergy and clinical immunology, Vol.141(2 Supplement), pp.AB193-AB193
Publisher: Elsevier Inc
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2017.12.612
ISSN: 0091-6749
eISSN: 1097-6825
Language: English
Date published: 02/2018
Academic Unit: Occupational and Environmental Health
Record Identifier: 9984702720702771

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