Exacerbation of asthma and airway infection: is the virus the villain?

摘要: Objective: To review the available literature on association between acute viral respiratory tract infection and onset of asthma exacerbations, identifying most prevalent viruses, detection methods, as well preventive therapeutic aspects. Sources: A search was conducted in PubMed, Lilacs, SciELO databases, years 2002 2013, using following descriptors: exacerbation, virus, child, infection. Summary findings: total 42 original articles addressing identification viruses during episodes exacerbation were selected, mostly cross-sectional studies. There a wide variation methodology assessed studies, particularly relation to children’s age methods collection detection. The results indicate that, up 92.2% agent potentially main triggering factor, human rhinovirus frequently identified factor. pattern circulation may have been responsible for seasonality exacerbations. infections allergic inflammation appears be crucial clinical functional uncontrolled asthma, but few studies evaluated other factors with Conclusions: Respiratory are present majority asthmatic children exacerbation. involved physiopathological mechanisms yet fully established, synergism determine disease. role protective agents is clearly determined.