Evaluating the Asthmatic Response to an Experimental Infection With Rhinovirus in the Atopic Host

In patients with asthma, reactions to allergens in the environment (such as mold, pollen, weed, domestic pets, and dust allergens) play an important role in causing asthma symptoms. However, upper respiratory tract infections, typically those caused by the common cold virus, rhinovirus, can also cause asthma to get worse. In previous studies at the University of Virginia, it was found that mild asthmatics, who had high levels of the allergy antibody (called IgE) in their blood, developed more persistent cold and chest symptoms when they were given an infection with rhinovirus (the most frequent cause of the common cold). The cold symptoms produced by rhinovirus tend to peak during the first 4 -7 days of the cold. These symptoms, including nasal congestion, are similar to what you have experienced with previous colds.

This study is being done to learn how a common cold caused by a viral infection affects people with asthma. The goal is to learn how to improve the care of asthma symptoms caused by the common cold virus (called rhinovirus). Most adults experience one or two colds caused by rhinovirus every year. In addition, 75-80% of asthma exacerbations caused by viral infections are caused by this virus, primarily in children. Adults are less likely to experience significant changes in their asthma symptoms when they get colds, because they have developed protective immune responses from previous colds which help diminish symptoms.