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Title: Common Childhood Viruses and Pubertal Timing: The LEGACY Girls Study.

Authors: McDonald, Jasmine A; Cherubin, Sinaida; Goldberg, Mandy; Wei, Ying; Chung, Wendy K; Schwartz, Lisa A; Knight, Julia A; Schooling, C Mary; Santella, Regina M; Bradbury, Angela R; Buys, Saundra S; Andrulis, Irene L; John, Esther M; Daly, Mary B; Terry, Mary Beth

Published In Am J Epidemiol, (2021 05 04)

Abstract: Earlier pubertal development is only partially explained by childhood body mass index; the role of other factors, such as childhood infections, is less understood. Using data from the LEGACY Girls Study (North America, 2011-2016), we prospectively examined the associations between childhood viral infections (cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), herpes simplex virus (HSV) 1, HSV2) and pubertal timing. We measured exposures based on seropositivity in premenarcheal girls (n = 490). Breast and pubic hair development were classified based on mother-reported Tanner Stage (TS) (TS2+ compared with TS1), adjusting for age, body mass index, and sociodemographic factors. The average age at first blood draw was 9.8 years (standard deviation, 1.9 years). The prevalences were 31% CMV+, 37% EBV+, 14% HSV1+, 0.4% HSV2+, and 16% for both CMV+/EBV+ coinfection. CMV+ infection without coinfection was associated with developing breasts an average of 7 months earlier (hazard ratio (HR) = 2.12, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.32, 3.40). CMV infection without coinfection and HSV1 and/or HSV2 infection were associated with developing pubic hair 9 months later (HR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.24, 0.71, and HR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.22, 0.81, respectively). Infection was not associated with menarche. If replicated in larger cohorts with blood collection prior to any breast development, this study supports the hypothesis that childhood infections might play a role in altering pubertal timing.

PubMed ID: 33128063 Exiting the NIEHS site

MeSH Terms: Adolescent; Body Mass Index; Child; Coinfection; Cytomegalovirus Infections/epidemiology*; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections/epidemiology*; Female; Herpes Simplex/epidemiology*; Humans; North America/epidemiology; Prevalence; Prospective Studies; Puberty, Precocious/physiopathology; Puberty/physiology*

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