Mycoplasma pneumoniae and its role in asthma

Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M pneumoniae), primarily recognised as a causative agent of community-acquired pneumonia has recently been linked to asthma. An infection with M pneumoniae may precede the onset of asthma or exacerbate asthma symptoms. Chronic infection with M pneumoniae has been suspected to...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Postgraduate Medical Journal 2007-02, Vol.83 (976), p.100-104
Main Authors: Nisar, Nazima, Guleria, Randeep, Kumar, Sanjay, Chand Chawla, Tirlok, Ranjan Biswas, Nihar
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antibiotics
Antigens
Antimicrobial agents
Asthma
Asthma - microbiology
asthma exacerbation
BAL
Biological and medical sciences
bronchial asthma
bronchoalveolar lavage
Chronic Disease
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma
clarithromycin
cytokines
Cytokines - physiology
General aspects
Humans
hyper-responsiveness
Hypersensitivity, Immediate - microbiology
Infections
Inflammation
Influenza
macrolides
Macrolides - therapeutic use
Medical sciences
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Pathogenesis
Patients
PCR
Pneumology
Pneumonia
Pneumonia, Mycoplasma - complications
Pneumonia, Mycoplasma - drug therapy
polymerase chain reaction
respiratory syncytial virus
Review
RSV
Studies
Viral infections
Viruses
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Description
Summary:Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M pneumoniae), primarily recognised as a causative agent of community-acquired pneumonia has recently been linked to asthma. An infection with M pneumoniae may precede the onset of asthma or exacerbate asthma symptoms. Chronic infection with M pneumoniae has been suspected to play a part in some patients with asthma. The role of immunoglobulin E-related hypersensitivity and induction of T helper type 2 immune response leading to inflammatory response in M pneumoniae-infected patients with asthma have also been proposed. Use of macrolides in reducing asthma symptoms only in M pneumoniae-infected patients supports the use of macrolides in patients with asthma having M pneumoniae infection. As macrolides are both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory drugs, the therapeutic role of their biphasic nature in reducing asthma symptoms needs further attention in clinical research.
ISSN:0032-5473
1469-0756
DOI:10.1136/pgmj.2006.049023