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An In vitro Model to Study Immune Responses of Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells to Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection
Published on: December 10, 2013
Pediatric Asthma and Viral Infection
M Luz Garcia-Garcia1, Cristina Calvo Rey1, Teresa Del Rosal Rabes2
1Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario Severo Ochoa, Leganés, Madrid, España.
Insights
Respiratory viral infections like RSV and rhinovirus are key triggers for infant wheezing and asthma. Bronchiolitis, often caused by these viruses, is linked to long-term respiratory issues, especially in genetically predisposed children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Respiratory viral infections, particularly respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and rhinovirus, are primary risk factors for wheezing in young children.
- Bronchiolitis, the most common acute respiratory infection in infants, is frequently caused by RSV (approx. 70%) and rhinovirus.
- The link between viral bronchiolitis and subsequent recurrent wheezing or asthma has been observed for decades, though causality remains debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the association between respiratory viral infections and the development of wheezing and asthma in children.
- To investigate the role of specific viruses, such as RSV and rhinovirus, in pediatric respiratory illnesses.
- To understand the potential mechanisms linking viral infections to chronic respiratory conditions like asthma.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on respiratory viral infections, bronchiolitis, and asthma in pediatric populations.
- Analysis of epidemiological data linking viral etiologies to wheezing and hospitalization rates.
- Examination of immunological factors potentially mediating the relationship between viral infections and asthma development.
Main Results:
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and rhinovirus are significant contributors to infant bronchiolitis and subsequent wheezing.
- A strong association exists between rhinovirus-induced bronchiolitis and the development of recurrent wheezing and asthma.
- Respiratory viruses are identified in over 90% of children hospitalized for wheezing, highlighting their role in exacerbations.
Conclusions:
- Respiratory viral infections, especially RSV and rhinovirus, are strongly associated with wheezing and asthma development in children.
- Bronchiolitis, particularly when caused by rhinovirus, may indicate a predisposition to asthma.
- Altered immune responses to viral infections in genetically susceptible individuals are likely central to the viral infection-asthma link.
Abstract:
Respiratory viral infections, particularly respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and rhinovirus, are the most importance risk factors for the onset of wheezing in infants and small children. Bronchiolitis is the most common acute respiratory infection in children under 1year of age, and the most common cause of hospitalization in this age group. RSV accounts for approximately 70% of all these cases, followed by rhinovirus, adenovirus, metapneumovirus and bocavirus. The association between bronchiolitis caused by RSV and the development of recurrent wheezing and/or asthma was first described more than 40years ago, but it is still unclear whether bronchiolitis causes chronic respiratory symptoms, or if it is a marker for children with a genetic predisposition for developing asthma in the medium or long term. In any case, sufficient evidence is available to corroborate the existence of this association, which is particularly strong when the causative agent of bronchiolitis is rhinovirus. The pathogenic role of respiratory viruses as triggers for exacerbations in asthmatic patients has not been fully characterized. However, it is clear that respiratory viruses, and in particular rhinovirus, are the most common causes of exacerbation in children, and some type of respiratory virus has been identified in over 90% of children hospitalized for an episode of wheezing. Changes in the immune response to viral infections in genetically predisposed individuals are very likely to be the main factors involved in the association between viral infection and asthma.
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