Characteristics and mechanisms of persistent asthma after common cold virus infection

Funded Activity Summary

Asthma is a major health problem for the Australian community. Recent studies have shown increasing numbers of people of all ages are developing asthma, and despite a fall in asthma deaths, large number of people continue to have severe attacks requiring hospitalisation. In most cases the deterioration in asthma symptoms is related to a cold or flu like illness. Viruses are the leading cause of these infections and are known to make asthma symptoms worse. We have identified how viruses do this by triggering a type of inflammation in the airways. We have also found that after a severe attack of asthma some people do not recover completely. They appear to have persistent problems, and in some cases the virus can still be isolated from the airways. How and why this occurs is not known. We are seeking to understand this problem and describe how it affects people with asthma. We plan to investigate what effect certain viruses have on the lungs of people with asthma by measuring cells and chemicals that are present in sputum. We will use recently developed technologies to accurately see what viruses are infecting these people, and how the immune system is working. This study will shed important light on potential causes of unstable asthma and the role that viral infection plays in this. It may also lead to new opportunities to develop treatments that are more effective in preventing and controlling asthma.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2004

End Date: 01-01-2006

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $407,750.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Infectious Diseases

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

Airway inflammation | Asthma | Eosinophils and neutrophils | Inflammation | Virus | Virus infection

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