INFLUENCE OF CYTOMEGALOVIRUS PERSISTENCE UPON CLINICAL COURSE OF BRONCHIAL ASTHMA (BA) IN CHILDREN

Abstract

Abstract. We have performed a study of 117 children (106 with BА, and 11, a comparison group). Upon examination of BA patients, they exhibited high rates of pneumotropic intracellular infections more frequent is found out, in comparison with healthy children, endocellular infection pathogens, in particular, cytomegalovirus (CMV), as shown by more frequent detection of specific IgM, IgG, and detection of virus-specific DNA in sputum samples of the sick children suffering with BA. In the children with BА shedding CMV DNA with sputum, a more severe clinical course of the disease was shown, as evidenced by more frequent bronchial obstruction episodes, and more severe symptoms. Decreased levels of all lymphocyte subpopulations was revealed in the patients, but in CMV-positive children, this drop was more pronounced, and accompanied by increase in CD4+ and decrease in CD8+ subpopulations, higher levels of IgA, IgM, and IgG, as well as stronger phagocytic activity. Exacerbation of BA significantly correlates with CD8+ numbers, along with correlations between presence of anti-CMV IgG and amounts of CD16+, CD16a+ cells.

Keywords

• bronchial asthma
• cytomegalovirus
• immunity
• children