title: Asthma and atopy as diseases of unknown cause. A viral hypothesis possibly explaining the epidemiologic association of the atopic diseases and various forms of asthma.
abstract: The basic etiology of asthma and atopy is unknown. Family grouping of cases is evident and has led to the assumption that genetic predisposition to making excessive IgE responses and in some cases a genetically determined tendency to have irritable bronchi are the fundamental causes of these conditions. Interplay between these hereditary predispositions and environmental factors such as allergen exposure are thought to explain all of the characteristic findings. Many cases, however, develop without a positive family history, and there are a variety of findings not easily explained by current theory. The increasing incidence of these conditions makes it necessary to question long held assumptions and explore other hypotheses. A review of difficult to explain characteristics and epidemiology of asthma and atopy makes a hypothesis involving a transmissible agent or agents plausible enough to warrant serious consideration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000150:complications*