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A Reversible, Non-invasive Method for Airway Resistance Measurements and Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid Sampling in Mice
Published on: April 13, 2010
A link between chronic asthma and chronic infection.
1Department of Medicine, National Jewish Medical and Research Center and The Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, 1400 Jackson St., Denver, CO 80206, USA.
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
|April 11, 2001
Summary
Chronic asthma may be linked to infections from Mycoplasma and Chlamydia species. Asthmatic patients showed higher mast cell counts, suggesting a role in disease pathophysiology and potential new treatments.
Area of Science:
- Respiratory Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Immunology
Background:
- Asthma significantly impacts quality of life and incurs economic costs.
- The precise causes and pathophysiology of asthma remain incompletely understood.
- Chronic infections are increasingly suspected as contributing factors to asthma.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between Mycoplasma and Chlamydia species and chronic asthma.
- To compare the prevalence of these microbial species in asthmatic patients versus healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 55 chronic stable asthma patients and 11 healthy controls.
- Utilized PCR, culture, and serology to detect Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, and viruses in respiratory samples and blood.
- Assessed bronchoalveolar lavage cell counts, tissue morphometry, and chronic sinusitis severity.
Main Results:
- PCR detected Mycoplasma or Chlamydia in 31 of 55 asthmatic patients, primarily in lung biopsies and lavage fluid.
- Only one control subject tested positive for Mycoplasma.
- Asthmatic patients with positive PCR results exhibited significantly higher tissue mast cell counts.
Conclusions:
- A substantial proportion of chronic stable asthma patients harbor Mycoplasma or Chlamydia species in their airways.
- Increased mast cell presence is a key distinguishing feature in these patients.
- These findings may offer insights into asthma pathophysiology and inform novel therapeutic strategies.
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