Early childhood infections and the use of antibiotics and antipyretic‐analgesics in Finland, Estonia and Russian Karelia

• Published in: Acta Paediatrica Vol. 108; no. 11; pp. 2075 - 2082
• Main Authors: Mustonen, Neea, Siljander, Heli, Peet, Aleksandr, Tillmann, Vallo, Härkönen, Taina, Ilonen, Jorma, Hyöty, Heikki, Knip, Mikael, Koski, Katriina, Koski, Matti, Ryhänen, Samppa, Hämäläinen, Anu‐Maaria, Ormisson, Anne, Ulich, Valentina, Kuzmicheva, Elena, Mokurov, Sergei, Markova, Svetlana, Pylova, Svetlana, Isakova, Marina, Shakurova, Elena, Petrov, Vladimir, Dorshakova, Natalya V., Karapetyan, Tatyana, Varlamova, Tatyana, Kiviniemi, Minna, Alnek, Kristi, Janson, Helis, Uibo, Raivo, von Mutius, Erika, Weber, Juliane, Ahlfors, Helena, Kallionpää, Henna, Laajala, Essi, Lähdesmäki, Harri, Lahesmaa, Riitta, Moulder, Robert, Nieminen, Janne, Ruohtula, Terhi, Vaarala, Outi, Honkanen, Hanna, Kondrashova, Anita, Oikarinen, Sami, Harmsen, Hermie J.M., De Goffau, Marcus C., Welling, Gjalt, Alahuhta, Kirsi, Virtanen, Suvi M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Norway Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.11.2019
• Subjects: Analgesics; Antibiotics; Antipyretic–analgesics; Childhood infections; Children; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetes mellitus (insulin dependent); Economic conditions; Health risks; Hygiene; Immune system; Infections; The hygiene hypothesis; Finland; Estonia; The hygiene hypothesis; Antipyretic-analgesics; Antibiotics; Childhood infections
• ISSN: 0803-5253; 1651-2227
• DOI: 10.1111/apa.14874

Aim Infections in early childhood are common reasons to seek medical attention. This study compares the prevalence of infections, and the use of antibiotics and antipyretic–analgesics, in children from Finland, Estonia and Russian Karelia. Methods Children with a genetically increased risk for type 1 diabetes (N = 797) were observed from birth up to 3 years of age. Illnesses and medications were reported by parents continuously. All reported infections, antibiotics and antipyretic–analgesics were compared between Finland and Estonia, and to a lesser extent with Russian Karelia, due to poor study compliance. Results Compared with Estonians, Finns reported more infections during the first and second years of life. During the follow‐up, Finnish children had 10 infections while Estonians only had 8 (p < 0.001). Finns also used more antibiotics and antipyretic–analgesics in each year during the follow‐up. Russian Karelians reported the lowest frequency of infections and the most infrequent use of antibiotics and antipyretic–analgesics in the first two years of life. Conclusion Infections and the use of antibiotics and antipyretic–analgesics in early childhood were most frequent in Finland, where socio‐economic conditions are the most developed and microbial encounters are sparse. This may reflect on the hygiene hypothesis, a less effective immune system that allows normally harmless microbes to attack and cause clinical infections.