Asthma in children: are chlamydia or mycoplasma involved?

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S Esposito1, N Principi

  • 1Paediatric Department I, University of Milan, Italy. sufersus@mailserver.unimi.it

Paediatric Drugs
|April 20, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Acute respiratory infections by Chlamydia pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae may trigger asthma exacerbations and potentially initiate asthma. Further research is needed to clarify their role and the effectiveness of antimicrobial treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Pulmonology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Asthma's complex etiology involves genetic, environmental, and infectious factors.
  • Atypical bacteria, Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae), are implicated in respiratory infections.
  • Evidence suggests these infections may trigger asthma symptoms and exacerbations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of C. pneumoniae and M. pneumoniae in asthma pathogenesis.
  • To determine if these atypical bacterial infections can initiate asthma in susceptible individuals.
  • To evaluate the impact of chronic infections and the efficacy of antimicrobial therapy in asthma.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing evidence on atypical bacterial infections and asthma.
  • Analysis of studies examining C. pneumoniae and M. pneumoniae as triggers for wheezing and exacerbations.
  • Observation of symptom improvement following antimicrobial treatment.

Main Results:

  • Acute C. pneumoniae or M. pneumoniae infections trigger 5-30% of wheezing episodes and asthma exacerbations.
  • These infections may initiate asthma in some previously healthy individuals, though the quantitative role is unknown.
  • Symptom improvement observed after antimicrobial therapy suggests a potential link.

Conclusions:

  • The precise role of C. pneumoniae and M. pneumoniae in asthma initiation and persistence requires further investigation.
  • The relative importance of C. pneumoniae versus M. pneumoniae in asthma pathogenesis remains debated.
  • Randomized controlled trials are essential to confirm the association between atypical bacterial infections and asthma, and to define optimal antimicrobial treatment strategies.

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