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Measles is more prevalent in Crohn's disease patients. A multicentre Israeli study
1Department of Gastroenterology, Asaf Center, Isreal. lavya@netvision.net.il
Abstract:
The question whether there is a transmissible pathogenetic agent as a cause for Crohn's disease, remains unanswered. Measles virus has been the subject of many intensive studies, in the attempt to find a role for it in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. Whether an early infection with measles virus may predispose to Crohn's disease in later life is still not clear. We conducted a large scale multicentre study, in order to obtain sufficient data to answer this question. To do so, we compared inflammatory bowel disease patients, with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, with two matched control groups: clinical controls, and community controls. A total of 531 patients, 271 with ulcerative colitis and 260 with Crohn's disease were interviewed, as well as 903 matched controls. Blood from 104 inflammatory bowel disease patients and 50 controls was tested for antibodies to measles virus. We did not find any differences related to measles vaccination, either in Crohn's disease or in ulcerative colitis. Exposure to measles in childhood was more frequent in Crohn's disease patients than in their controls, the difference being statistically significant (p < 0.05) in relation to community controls. The presence of IgG antibodies to measles virus was higher in patients with Crohn's disease than in patients with ulcerative colitis or controls (p = 0.084). Another observation of interest was the finding that Crohn's disease patients who had measles in childhood, more frequently had large bowel disease than those who had not had measles. These data lead us to postulate that there may be a role for measles infection in Crohn's disease, even if, at present, this role remains unclear.
Insights
Childhood measles exposure may increase Crohn's disease risk. This study found higher measles exposure and IgG antibodies in Crohn's patients, suggesting a potential role for measles infection in disease development.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Virology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The cause of Crohn's disease (CD) is unknown, with a transmissible agent being a long-standing hypothesis.
- Measles virus has been investigated for its potential role in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) pathogenesis.
- The link between early measles infection and later CD development remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential association between measles virus infection and the development of Crohn's disease.
- To compare measles exposure and serological markers between CD patients, ulcerative colitis (UC) patients, and control groups.
Main Methods:
- A large-scale, multicenter study involving 531 IBD patients (260 CD, 271 UC) and 903 matched controls (clinical and community).
- Interviews were conducted to assess patient history, including measles vaccination and childhood exposure.
- Blood samples from 104 IBD patients and 50 controls were analyzed for measles virus IgG antibodies.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in measles vaccination rates were observed between CD, UC, and control groups.
- Childhood exposure to measles was significantly more frequent in CD patients compared to community controls (p < 0.05).
- CD patients showed a trend towards higher IgG antibodies to measles virus compared to UC patients and controls (p = 0.084).
- CD patients with a history of childhood measles were more likely to have large bowel disease.
Conclusions:
- The findings suggest a potential role for measles infection in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise mechanism by which measles infection may influence CD development.
- While not definitive, the data support continued investigation into infectious agents as triggers for Crohn's disease.
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