The chronic respiratory infection caused by various organisms such as mycoplasma, Chlamydia, and latent viruses such as adenovirus probably contribute to the severity and chronic nature of asthma in some cases. The treatment of sinusitis sometimes is followed by sustained improvement of asthma. Before the use of antibiotics, surgical treatment of sinusitis was the only measure that sometimes caused a lasting improvement in persons with intrinsic asthma. Cooke recruited an otolaryngologist, and together they followed up a great number of asthmatic patients who had been treated for sinus disease Viagra Canada website. They concluded that for long-term improvement it was important to treat all the affected sinuses, not only the ones affected the most. Cooke also reported that in some cases the injection of bacterial vaccines, either autologous or a mixture (ie, staphylococci, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria catarrhalis, and streptococci), could cause a delayed asthmatic response a few hours later. In the 1960s, Hampton also performed many experiments and skin testing, and administered inhaled bacterial extracts. He too described delayed positive skin test results and delayed asthma attacks in some subjects inhaling extracts of N catarrhalis.
The failure of bacterial vaccines in double-blind tests seemed to lay to rest the idea that bacteria had any significance as allergens in patients with asthma, and no other role has been imagined. Interest has been rekindled because of the role of staphylococcal superantigens in eczema and the function of DNA containing cytosine and guanosine motifs as an adjuvant. Determining the various roles for bacteria and viruses indicates the need for renewed study.
Conclusions
Much in the epidemiology of atopic diseases suggests a transmissible cause. Viruses can cause longterm changes in the survival of specific Th2 clones and could result in the abnormalities that are characteristic of atopy. This should be understandable enough to make it no longer impossible to gain support for studies in this vein. With good evidence that most adults have become immune, there is hope for more effective prevention if a cause can be found.