THE EFFECTS OF RHINOVIRUS INFECTIONS ON ALLERGIC AIRWAY RESPONSES

Although it has long been recognized that the common cold is a potent trigger for symptoms of asthma, the mechanisms underlying the associat ion between upper respiratory infection and increased lower airway obs truction remain obscure. The use of experimental infection of voluntee rs with or without respiratory allergies has enabled direct comparison s of common cold symptoms in these two groups. Furthermore, techniques such as bronchoalveolar lavage and segmental antigen challenge have b een used to directly sample lower airway fluids and tissues during acu te viral infection. This review summarizes the findings of studies exa mining the separate and combined effects of rhinovirus infection and a llergen exposure on airway physiology and inflammation.