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Published on: December 10, 2013
Association of specific viral infections with childhood asthma exacerbations
Maryam Hassanzad1, Seyed Alireza Nadji2, Sepideh Darougar1
1Pediatric Respiratory Diseases Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Insights
Rhinovirus was the most common viral trigger for pediatric asthma exacerbations, followed by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and adenovirus. RSV infections were linked to more severe asthma attacks in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Respiratory Medicine
- Virology
- Asthma Research
Background:
- Asthma exacerbations in children are frequently triggered by viral infections.
- Identifying specific viral culprits is crucial for understanding and managing pediatric asthma.
- Respiratory viruses are known to precipitate acute asthma attacks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and types of viral infections associated with asthma exacerbations in pediatric patients.
- To determine the role of specific respiratory viruses in triggering asthma attacks in children.
- To analyze the relationship between viral detection and asthma severity.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 60 children experiencing asthma exacerbations was enrolled.
- Nasopharyngeal aspirates or swabs were collected from patients during emergency department admission.
- Nucleic acid testing was employed to detect a range of respiratory viruses in patient samples.
Main Results:
- Rhinovirus was identified in 20% of cases, followed by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and adenovirus (8% each).
- Influenza virus was detected in 1.6% of patients.
- A significant proportion of samples (61%) did not show detectable respiratory pathogens; all positive detections indicated single viral infections.
Conclusions:
- Rhinovirus, RSV, and adenovirus are the primary viral triggers for pediatric asthma exacerbations.
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) demonstrated a stronger association with more severe asthma attacks.
- Detection rates of respiratory viruses are influenced by study design factors and the chosen viral detection methodology.
Introduction:
Asthma exacerbations may occur due to a variety of triggers including respiratory viruses. The aim of this study was to determine the role of particular viral infections in asthma exacerbations in children.
Materials And Methods:
The study was performed at Dr. Daneshvari Hospital Pediatric Emergency Department, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran between 2014 and 2015. A nasopharyngeal aspirate or swab was obtained from each patient during admission. All samples were maintained at 4 °C until submission to the virology laboratory and were tested for respiratory viruses by nucleic acid testing.
Results:
A total of 60 patients with asthma exacerbations were recruited for this study. Of the 60 samples collected from the patients with acute asthma exacerbations, rhinovirus was detected in 12 patients (20%), respiratory syncytial virus in 5 (8%), adenovirus in 5 (8%), and influenza virus in 1 (1.6%). Respiratory pathogens were not detected in 37 (61%) samples. All the samples investigated showed single viral infection.
Conclusions:
To conclude, the most common viruses detected were rhinovirus followed by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and adenovirus. RSV was more commonly associated with more severe attacks. Both the study design (e.g., time of sampling, age of the patients, etc.) and also the method used for viral detection influence the frequency of detection of the respiratory viruses.
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