The role of infection in the morbidity of asthmatic children admitted to hospital

Two aspects of the role of infection in asthmatic attacks in children have been investigated. Virus isolations from children admitted to a paediatric department during 1968 showed close correlation with the incidence of admissions with upper respiratory tract infection and with lower respiratory tract infection. The peaks of virus isolation corresponded to the peaks of respiratory infection admissions. There was a clear dissociation between virus isolations and admissions with acute asthma. Fifty-one children admitted with clinical acute attacks of asthma were investigated more thoroughly. Only three viruses were isolated from these case? compared to eleven viruses isolated from a control group of children with respiratory infections. The incidence of bacterial pathogens was similar in both groups. Serological evidence of virus infection was obtained in two out of twenty-six children with asthma and in four out often children with respiratory infections. Our results indicate that bacterial or viral infections are not responsible for the autumn peak of asthma admissions.