title: Defective interferon-alpha production in children with recurrent respiratory tract infections. A primary or secondary deficiency?
abstract: Interferon-alpha and -gamma production was assayed in 44 children with recurrent respiratory tract infections, in 9 patients with recurrent stomatitis and in 32 control subjects. A partial, transitory deficiency in interferon-alpha production was found in 2 children with recurrent respiratory tract infections. The deficiency may be either cause or effect of the recurrent infections. Many data support the latter hypothesis.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I