Lifetime dog and cat exposure and dog- and cat-specific sensitization at age 18 years

  1. G. Wegienka1,
  2. C. C. Johnson1,
  3. S. Havstad1,
  4. D. R. Ownby2,
  5. C. Nicholas1,
  6. E. M. Zoratti3

Article first published online: 14 JUN 2011

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2011.03747.x

Issue

Clinical & Experimental Allergy

Clinical & Experimental Allergy

Volume 41, Issue 7, pages 979–986, July 2011

Additional Information

How to Cite

Wegienka, G., Johnson, C. C., Havstad, S., Ownby, D. R., Nicholas, C. and Zoratti, E. M. (2011), Lifetime dog and cat exposure and dog- and cat-specific sensitization at age 18 years. Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 41: 979–986. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2011.03747.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Biostatistics and Research Epidemiology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI, USA

  2. 2

    Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA, USA

  3. 3

    Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Allergy, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI, USA

*Correspondence: Ganesa Wegienka, 1 Ford Place, 3E, Detroit, MI 48202, USA. E-mail: gwegien1@hfhs.org

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 14 JUN 2011
  2. Article first published online: 14 JUN 2011
  3. Submitted 4 October 2010; revised 7 January 2011; accepted 31 January 2011

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Keywords:

  • allergy;
  • cat;
  • dog

Summary

Background Prior research about whether keeping a dog or cat at home causes allergies to that pet has been limited to outcomes in early childhood.

Objective Evaluate the association between lifetime dog and cat exposure and allergic sensitization to the specific animal at 18 years of age.

Methods Participants enrolled in the Detroit Childhood Allergy Study birth cohort during 1987–1989 were contacted at the age 18 years. Sensitization to dog or cat was defined as animal-specific IgEgeqslant R: gt-or-equal, slanted0.35 kU/L. Annual interview data from childhood and follow-up interviews at age 18 years were used to determine lifetime indoor dog and cat exposure (indoor was defined when the animal spent >50% of their time inside the house). Exposure was considered in various ways: first year, age groups and cumulative lifetime. Analyses were conducted separately for dogs and cats.

Results Among males, those with an indoor dog during the first year of life had half the risk [relative risk (RR)=0.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.27, 0.92] of being sensitized to dogs at age 18 compared with those who did not have an indoor dog in the first year. This was also true for males and females born via c-section (RR=0.33, 95% CI 0.07, 0.97). Overall, teens with an indoor cat in the first year of life had a decreased risk (RR=0.52, 95% CI 0.31, 0.90) of being sensitized to cats. Neither cumulative exposure nor exposure at any other particular age was associated with either outcome.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance The first year of life is the critical period during childhood when indoor exposure to dogs or cats influences sensitization to these animals.

Cite this as: G. Wegienka, C. C. Johnson, S. Havstad, D. R. Ownby, C. Nicholas and E. M. Zoratti, Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2011 (41) 979–986.

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