Bronchiolitis in childhood: Updates on etiopathogenesis and immunologic lung injury
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Acute bronchiolitis is a disease characterized with bronchiolar inflammation due to viral infections in children younger than two years that is associated with wheezing, cough, tachypnea, retractions and prolonged expiration. Many pathogens, among which respiratory syncytial virus is the most common, play role in the etiology. Cellular damage due to viral pathogens and anatomic and immunological factors of the host play a role in the development of lower respiratory tract infections only in some children exposed to respiratory syncytial virus and other viruses. Viral infections in children may change Th1/Th2 immune response pattern. Severity of disease changes with the degree of inflammation due to the immune response. Moreover, an increase in disease severity may be observed due to the activation of the non-adrenergic non-cholinergic neurogenic system. Severe RSV infections may develop in children with genetic predisposition. We explained the role of environmental factors, genetic and structural susceptibility of the host, and contribution of immunologic response in this susceptibility, in addition to the role of responsible infectious agents, in the development and severe progression of bronchiolitis (Turk Arch Ped 2010; 45: 75-81)