Current opinion in allergy and clinical immunology
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Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol · Apr 2010
ReviewThe role of rhinovirus infections in the development of early childhood asthma.
To discuss the role of human rhinoviruses (HRVs) in early childhood wheezing illnesses and how HRVs contribute to the development of childhood asthma. ⋯ HRV is a significant source of morbidity in infants and young children. The present review identifies mechanisms by which HRV lower respiratory tract infection, particularly in a susceptible host, could promote the development of childhood asthma. Further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the link between HRV wheezing in early childhood and subsequent asthma development, with the critical goal of identifying novel therapeutic and prevention strategies for both early childhood wheezing and asthma.