title: The role of atypical organisms in asthma.
abstract: Atypical organisms (Chlamydia pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae) have been recently linked to asthma in various ways: an infection with these organisms may precede asthma onset, exacerbate asthma, or make asthma control more difficult. Their ability to elicit a TH2 response and promote airway inflammation may be the common pathway in the development of an atopic inflammatory response. This article presents a summary of the evidence that infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae or Mycoplasma pneumoniae may play a significance role in asthma.
authors.affiliation: UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, USA.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Daian
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Wolff
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bielory
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009177:Mycoplasma pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D011379:Prognosis; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment