Atopy and susceptibility to respiratory infections in children

There is a close relationship between atopy and respiratory infections.Respiratory infections are regarded as one of the most important factors during allergic diseases development from atopy.Children with atopic diseases are not only predisposition to respiratory infections, but also display server symptom and long-lasting course during respiratory infections.Defection in innate immunity characterized by compromised epithelial barrier and low interferon response to virus infection and dysregulation of adaptive immunity characterized by predominant T-helper (Th)2 immune response are the potential causes.Children with a topic diseases such as asthma usually have abnormal microbe colonization or latent infection.Those factors maybe response for predisposition to respiratory infections in atopic children.On the other hand, children with atopic diseases are usually invoked with both infective inflammation and allergic inflammation during respiratory infections.Therefore, antiallergic inflammation therapy should be emphasized in the treatment of respiratory tract infections in atopic children. Key words: Atopy; Respiratory infection; Susceptibility