Abstract
Acute respiratory illness (ARI) due to various viruses is not only the most common cause of upper respiratory infection in humans but is also a major cause of morbidity and mortality, leading to diseases such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Previous studies have shown that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human rhinovirus (HRV), human metapneumovirus (HMPV), human parainfluenza virus (HPIV), and human enterovirus infections may be associated with virus-induced asthma. For example, it has been suggested that HRV infection is detected in the acute exacerbation of asthma and infection is prolonged. Thus it is believed that the main etiological cause of asthma is ARI viruses. Furthermore, the number of asthma patients in most industrial countries has greatly increased, resulting in a morbidity rate of around 10-15% of the population. However, the relationships between viral infections, host immune response, and host factors in the pathophysiology of asthma remain unclear. To gain a better understanding of the epidemiology of virus-induced asthma, it is important to assess both the characteristics of the viruses and the host defense mechanisms. Molecular epidemiology enables us to understand the pathogenesis of microorganisms by identifying specific pathways, molecules, and genes that influence the risk of developing a disease. However, the epidemiology of various respiratory viruses associated with virus-induced asthma is not fully understood. Therefore, in this article, we review molecular epidemiological studies of RSV, HRV, HPIV, and HMPV infection associated with virus-induced asthma.
Highlights
Acute respiratory illness (ARI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide (Williams et al, 2002; Sloots et al, 2008)
We focus on molecular epidemiological studies of respiratory viruses, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human rhinovirus (HRV), human metapneumovirus (HMPV), and human parainfluenza virus (HPIV) infections, associated with virus-induced asthma
Kiyota et al (2013) estimated that the rate of molecular evolution of the VP4/VP2 coding region was rapid (3.07 × 10−3 substitutions/site/year) in HRVC. These results suggest that HRV species A (HRV-A) and -C detected in ARI cases are the predominant strains and have varied genetic properties (Wisdom et al, 2009; Mizuta et al, 2010a; Arakawa et al, 2012)
Summary
Acute respiratory illness (ARI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide (Williams et al, 2002; Sloots et al, 2008). RSV and HRV are the most frequently detected pathogens and may play an important role in viral induction and exacerbation of asthma. We focus on molecular epidemiological studies of respiratory viruses, including RSV, HRV, HMPV, and HPIV infections, associated with virus-induced asthma.
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