Respiratory Tract Infections and Asthma

For many patients with asthma, especially children, respiratory infections provoke wheezing. Initial attention focused on bacteria as the etiological agents; however, prospective studies conclusively indicated that viral, not bacterial, respiratory infections triggered asthma. Less well established is the possibility that respiratory infections are a pivotal event in the pathogenesis of asthma. This chapter will focus on the role of respiratory tract infections, particularly viral illnesses, and asthma. Three major areas will be covered: The epidemiology of respiratory infections and asthma; Respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis as a model for respiratory infections and asthma; and Mechanisms of virus-induced asthma. These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.