title: Virus/Allergen Interaction in Asthma Exacerbation.
abstract: Allergy and viral respiratory infections have long been recognized as two of the most important risk factors for exacerbations of asthma. These observations have raised questions regarding potential interactions between these two important risk factors. For example, does allergy diminish the antiviral response, thereby promoting exacerbations of asthma? Alternately, do viral respiratory infections potentiate ongoing allergic inflammation in the airway? The answers to these questions are likely to have implications regarding the prevention and treatment of exacerbations of asthma. This article reviews that clinical evidence linking viral infections and allergy to exacerbations of asthma, reviews potential interactions between these two risk factors, and discusses possible application of new insights in virus/allergen interactions to the prevention and treatment of exacerbations of asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin.
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Gern
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D018450:Disease Progression; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology; D010850:Picornaviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012229:Rhinovirus; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D016207:Cytokines
keywords: allergy; asthma; interferon; rhinovirus