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The link between bronchiolitis and asthma

Tuomas Jartti1, Mika J Mäkelä, Timo Vanto

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Turku University Hospital, Finland.

Infectious Disease Clinics of North America
|August 17, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Bronchiolitis, a common childhood illness, may increase asthma risk. Respiratory syncytial virus and rhinovirus infections, combined with genetic and immune factors, are explored as contributors to childhood asthma development.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric respiratory diseases
  • Immunology
  • Viral infections

Background:

  • Bronchiolitis and asthma are prevalent childhood wheezing illnesses.
  • Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the primary cause of bronchiolitis.
  • Rhinovirus frequently triggers asthma exacerbations and is increasingly found in bronchiolitis cases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between bronchiolitis and the subsequent development of asthma in children.
  • To explore the roles of specific viral infections (RSV, rhinovirus), genetics, and immunologic immaturity in asthma pathogenesis following bronchiolitis.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on bronchiolitis, asthma, and viral triggers.
  • Analysis of the interplay between viral infections, host genetics, and immune responses in early life.
  • Examination of epidemiological data linking bronchiolitis history to asthma development.

Main Results:

  • Childhood asthma develops in approximately 40% of children with a history of bronchiolitis.
  • While atopy is a known asthma risk factor, a direct link to bronchiolitis development is not firmly established.
  • RSV and rhinovirus infections are implicated in the pathway from bronchiolitis to asthma.

Conclusions:

  • Bronchiolitis is a significant risk factor for developing childhood asthma.
  • Viral infections, particularly RSV and rhinovirus, in conjunction with genetic predisposition and immune system immaturity, are key factors in the development of asthma post-bronchiolitis.

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