Persistence of rhinovirus RNA and IP-10 gene expression after acute asthma.

Background And Objective: Viral nucleic acid may be detected for up to 6 months after an acute asthma deterioration, but the pattern and consequences of viral persistence after acute asthma are incompletely understood. This study investigates the frequency of viral persistence after acute asthma, assesses viral infectivity and determines the host inflammatory responses to viral persistence.

Methods: Adults and children presenting to hospital with acute asthma and a confirmed respiratory virus infection were studied acutely and at recovery 4-6 weeks later by clinical evaluation and induced sputum for viral and inflammatory mediator detection.

Diversity in the bronchial epithelial cell response to infection with different rhinovirus strains.

Background And Objective: Infection with rhinovirus (RV) is the most common trigger for acute asthma and COPD. The aim of this study was to characterize the variability in the response of primary bronchial epithelial cells to infection with several strains of RV.

Methods: RV strains, RV-43, RV-48 (major group RV), RV-47 (minor) and EV-68 (enterovirus), were cultured from subjects with acute asthma and compared with the laboratory RV strains, RV-16, RV-14 (major) and RV-1B (minor).

Prospective assessment of protracted bacterial bronchitis: airway inflammation and innate immune activation.

Protracted bacterial bronchitis (PBB) is a common cause of paediatric chronic moist cough. PBB is defined as the presence of isolated chronic moist cough which resolves with antibiotic therapy within 2 weeks and an absence of pointers suggesting alternative diagnoses. Our aim was to describe the clinical profile and examine the airway cellularity and likely promoters of neutrophilic inflammation in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) of children with PBB compared with chronic cough due to other causes and controls.

Validity of the common cold questionnaire (CCQ) in asthma exacerbations.

Background: The common cold questionnaire (CCQ) is used to discriminate those with and without a viral infection. Its usefulness in people with acute asthma is unknown. Our aim was to assess the ability of the CCQ to detect viral infection and to monitor recovery during a viral induced asthma exacerbation and confirmed by virological testing.

Reduced toll-like receptor 4 and substance P gene expression is associated with airway bacterial colonization in children.

Neuro-immune interactions are increasingly relevant to human health and disease. The neuropeptide Substance P also has antibacterial activity and bears similarities to the innate immune antibacterial defensins. This suggests possible co-regulation of neuropeptide and innate immune mediators.