Cytokine Response Patterns, Exposure to Viruses, and Respiratory Infections in the First Year of Life

• Published in: American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine Vol. 170; no. 2; pp. 175 - 180
• Main Authors: Copenhaver, Christopher C, Gern, James E, Li, Zhanhai, Shult, Peter A, Rosenthal, Louis A, Mikus, Lance D, Kirk, Carol J, Roberg, Kathy A, Anderson, Elizabeth L, Tisler, Christopher J, DaSilva, Douglas F, Hiemke, Heidi J, Gentile, Kevin, Gangnon, Ronald E, Lemanske, Robert F., Jr
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Am Thoracic Soc 15.07.2004; American Lung Association; American Thoracic Society
• Subjects: Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Child Day Care Centers - statistics & numerical data; Child Development; Cohort Studies; Cytokines - blood; Environmental Monitoring - statistics & numerical data; Epidemiological Monitoring; Fetal Blood - immunology; Humans; Infant; Infant Care - statistics & numerical data; Infant, Newborn; Intensive care medicine; Medical sciences; Nasal Cavity - virology; Pediatrics - statistics & numerical data; Prospective Studies; Respiratory Sounds; Respiratory syncytial virus; Respiratory Tract Infections - epidemiology; Respiratory Tract Infections - immunology; Respiratory Tract Infections - virology; Siblings; Therapeutic Irrigation; Viral infections; Virus Diseases - epidemiology; Virus Diseases - immunology; Virus Diseases - virology; Viruses; Wisconsin - epidemiology; Wisconsin; Infection; Virus; daycare; Intensive care; interferon-γ; Cytokine; Interferon; Sibling; respiratory syncytial virus; Resuscitation
• ISSN: 1073-449X; 1535-4970
• DOI: 10.1164/rccm.200312-1647OC

Daycare attendance and siblings are associated with viral-induced wheezing in children. Preexisting immunologic factors may influence the expression of viral infections in infancy, and in turn, recurrent infections may influence the development of immune responses. A total of 285 children were enrolled in the Childhood Origins of Asthma Project at birth and followed for at least 1 year. Cord blood and 1-year mononuclear cells were stimulated with phytohemagglutinin, and cytokine-response profiles were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Nasal lavage was performed for moderate to severe respiratory illnesses. Daycare attendance and/or siblings significantly increased the likelihood of contracting respiratory syncytial virus (1.5-1.6-fold increase) and rhinovirus (1.8-2.1-fold increase), and increased the risk of rhinovirus-induced wheezing (14-18% vs. 2%, p = 0.011). Cord blood IFN-gamma responses were inversely related to the frequency of viral respiratory infections (r(s) = -0.11, p = 0.05), and more significant for subjects with high exposure to other children (r(s) = -0.27, p = 0.028). The interval change in infantile IFN-gamma responses correlated positively with the frequency of viral infections in infancy (r(s) = 0.12, p = 0.047). These data suggest that neonatal IFN-gamma responses may influence antiviral activity, or may represent a marker of antiviral immunity maturation. Conversely, the frequency of viral infections in infancy can influence IFN-gamma responses.