Bacterial infection may trigger asthma in kids--study
POSTED October 9, 2010 - 14:38 | POSTED BY Silky Chandvani
Last edited by Jaspreet Virk on October 9, 2010 - 14:56
Viral infections, like cold and flu-like illnesses, characterized by a fit of coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath, have long been known to cause asthma in kids and adults.
According to the study, bacteria could be responsible for triggering asthma attacks in children who have never experienced them before, and may exacerbate the immune response in children already suffering from asthma.
The findings, published in the Oct. 4 issue of ‘British Medical Journal,’ could pave the way for a new treatment for asthmatic children, researchers believe.
Study details
In a bid to access the link between bacterial infection and asthma, scientists at Danish Paediatric Asthma Centre (DPAC) at the University of Copenhagen and Gentofte Hospital studied 361 children in the age bracket of four weeks to 3 years.
It was found that the number of asthma attacks was as high in children with bacterial respiratory infections as in those with viral infections.
Hans Bisgaard, a professor of paediatrics at the DPAC said, "We found a significant relationship between bacterial infections and acute asthma attacks - above and beyond the expected relationship between viral infections and attacks.
“This indicates that bacteria can exacerbate asthma symptoms even if they aren't infected with a virus," Bisgaard conceded.
It is estimated that at least 40 percent of asthma exacerbations in adults are caused by a viral illness.
Further research needed
Though asthma attack resulting from a viral infection is untreatable, antibiotic treatment might be possible, researchers suggested.
"The findings open up an entirely new method for treating severe asthma attacks. We can't treat viral infections, but scientists will now look into whether treatment with antibiotics can help children when they have an asthma attack if they are also suffering from a bacterial infection.
"Being able to use antibiotics to treat asthma attacks in children would be revolutionary," Bisgaard added.
The Danish Pediatric Asthma Care Centre plans to substantiate the research findings with further large-scale clinical study, looking at the effect of antibiotics in treating asthma attacks.
"Being able to use antibiotics to treat asthma attacks in children would be revolutionary," he concluded.
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