The association of 25(OH)D, interleukin-4, interleukin-5, and interleukin-13 levels with the burden of soil-transmitted helminth infection in stunted children aged 24–59 months

Abstract

Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) among children aged 24–59 months is one cause of chronic infection that could lead to stunting. The association of 25(OH)D and immune responses during chronic infection in stunted populations has not yet been well established. An association study of case–control data was conducted in Bandung district from October 2019 to January 2023. Sociodemographic factors, stool samples, and serum levels of 25(OH)D, interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-5 (IL-5), and interleukin-13 (IL-13) were assessed. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the prevalence and association of 25(OH)D, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 with the burden of STH infection in stunted children. In total, 401 stunted children were recruited. A higher burden of STH infection was found for lower levels of IL-5 (r = −0.477; p = 0.004) and IL-13 (r = −0.433; p = 0.028). Thus, 25(OH)D, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 play a role in the burden of STH infection.

Keywords:

• STH infection
• stunting
• 25(OH)d
• IL-4
• IL-5
• IL-13

Acknowledgments

The author expresses their gratitude to Masahiro Umezaki from the University of Tokyo for reviewing this article, and to the field surveyors, the staff of the primary health care centres, and the cadres of the Bandung district. Many thanks to the data collector, Hadyana Sukandar, for statistical analysis, and to Hijriyanti Amd, Ak. and laboratory staff, and others who supported this study.

Institutional Review Board statement

Ethical clearance was obtained from Institutional Review Board (or Research Ethics Committee) of the Faculty of Medicine of Universitas Padjadjaran, with ethical number 825/UN6.KEP/EC/2021. The committee provided ethical clearance approval for all components of the study protocol submitted to the Bandung District Health Authority to conduct this study in primary healthcare centres in the Bandung District area.

Informed consent statement

Informed consent was obtained from all participants involved in the study.

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by an internal grant for doctoral research (RDDU) from Universitas Padjadjaran No. 3885/UN6.C/LT/2019.