Pediatria pre prax 2/2010

Respiratory viruses and bronchial asthma in infancy and early childhood

Respiratory airways disseases are the most common cause of visits in paediatric practice. In children younger than 5 years they cause up to 50 % and in children in age 5 to 12 years 30 % of total morbidity. Mostly, upper airways are concerned, 80 % of infections being caused by viruses. Respiratory viruses, causing acute respiratory infections in early childhood, are considered as the main cause of airway hyperractivity and episodes of expiratory wheezing. Among the most serious are Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and Rhinoviruses (human Rhinovirus, hRV), by which, mostly children in the first two years of age are infected. RSV causes a severe acute bronchiolitis. In very early age, together with other viruses they can be a asthma trigger or lead to asthma exacerbation. There is a professional discussion going on, concerning the relation between repeated wheezing, asthma and airway viral infections.

Keywords: respiratory viruses, expiratory wheeze, asthma, treatment.