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.