IFN-xcexb1/IFN-xcexbb responses to respiratory viruses in paediatric asthma

[摘要] ExtractWe read with interest the paper by Bergauer etxc2xa0al. [1] on innate immune responses to viral infection in paediatric asthma. The paper confirms previous reports on impaired interferon responses in stable asthmaxc2xa0[2xe2x80x934]; but describes a hyperactive interferon production during asthma exacerbations associated with rhinovirus infection. The authors conclude that; despite impaired immune condition at stable state; the ability to upregulate type I interferons during the acute phase is preserved in asthmatic children. However; what is lacking from this study is the information on interferon production during acute rhinovirus infection in an age-matched group of non-asthmatics. Thus; how can it be conclusively excluded that the production of interferon is impaired during the rhinovirus-induced acute phase of asthma in the absence of such a comparative control group? A study which examined nasal washes of children during acute episodes of wheezing or rhinitis; reported lower levels of IFN-xcexbb in children with wheezing than in those with acute rhinitis; even if the differences were not statistically significant [5]. The fact that asthmatic patients; once infected; have more severe manifestations of the infectious diseases [6] could possibly suggest an impaired response also in the acute phase; but conclusive data are lacking.

[学科分类] 呼吸医学