Significant disparities in allergy prevalence and microbiota between the young people in Finnish and Russian Karelia.

L Paulin, T Haahtela, E Vartiainen, P Jousilahti, E Zilber, M J Mäkelä, I Hanski, N Fyhrquist, H Alenius, L Ruokolainen, P Auvinen, V Masyuk, O Markelova, T Vlasoff, L von Hertzen, T Laatikainen, A Karkman, L Paalanen

Journal: Clinical and experimental allergy : journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2018;47(5):665-674

PMID: 28165640

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Abstract

BACKGROUND

Atopic allergy has been more common among schoolchildren in Finland, as compared to Russian Karelia. These adjacent regions show one of the most contrasting socio-economical differences in the world.

OBJECTIVE

We explored changes in allergy from school age to young adulthood from 2003 to 2010/2012 in these two areas. The skin and nasal microbiota were also compared.

METHODS

Randomly selected children from Finnish (n = 98) and Russian Karelia (n = 82) were examined in 2003, when the children were 7-11 years of age, and again in 2010 (Finnish Karelia) and 2012 (Russian Karelia). We analysed self-reported allergy symptoms and sensitization to common allergens by serum sIgE values. The skin (volar forearm) and nasal mucosa microbiota, collected in 2012 (aged 15-20 years), identified from DNA samples, were compared with multivariate methods.

RESULTS

Asthma, hay fever, atopic eczema, self-reported rhinitis, as well as atopic sensitization, were threefold to 10-fold more common in Finland, as compared to Russian Karelia. Hay fever and peanut sensitization were almost non-existent in Russia. These patterns remained throughout the 10-year follow-up. Skin microbiota, as well as bacterial and fungal communities in nasal mucosa, was contrastingly different between the populations, best characterized by the diversity and abundance of genus Acinetobacter; more abundant and diverse in Russia. Overall, diversity was significantly higher among Russian subjects (P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001 and P < 0.01). Allergic diseases were not associated with microbial diversity in Finnish subjects.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Differences in allergic phenotype, developed in early life, remain between populations. A parallel difference in the composition of skin and nasal microbiota suggests a potential underlying mechanism. Our results also suggest that high abundance and diversity of Acinetobacter might contribute to the low allergy prevalence in Russia. Implications of early-life exposure to Acinetobacter should be further investigated.

Address: Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.; Department of Health, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.; Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.; Skin and Allergy Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital & University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.; North Karelia Centre for Public Health, Joensuu, Finland.; Petrozavodsk State University, Petrozavodsk, Russia.; Hoiku Rehabilitation Centre, Hamina, Finland.; Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.; Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.; Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.; Scientific Research Institute of Physiopulmonology, St. Petersburg, Russia.

DOI: 10.1111/cea.12895

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MeSH Terms: Acinetobacter, Child, Female, Finland, Humans, Hypersensitivity, Male, Microbiota, Nasal Cavity, Prevalence, Russia, Skin