Children hospitalized for rotavirus, a common and potentially severe childhood infection, may face a higher risk of developing autoimmune diseases, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open.
The researchers—led by Dr. Eun Kyo Ha of Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital in Seoul, South Korea—conducted a population cohort study of patients born in South Korea between 2002 and 2005, with the median age at the time of hospitalization for rotavirus being 1.5 years. The study involved 86,517 patients exposed to rotavirus and an equal number of individuals who were not exposed.
The study found that children hospitalized for rotavirus had a 24% higher risk of developing autoimmune diseases compared to those who were not exposed. Multiple hospitalizations increased that risk by 60%. Rotavirus was specifically linked to arthritis, connective tissue disease, nervous system diseases, endocrine diseases, and vasculitis.
The researchers for this study emphasized the importance of clinicians being aware of the predisposition for autoimmune disease in these patients. Although this study has its limitations, it provided better insight into what may increase the chances of someone developing an autoimmune disease.
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