A potential vaccine to prevent asthma?
Asthma is a 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 that manifests itself in attacks, during which 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 occur. This condition affects 4 million people in France, 5% of whom suffer from 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬. Severe asthma is associated with around 900 deaths per year. There are 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐬 of asthma, each with different characteristics. In France, it is estimated that 𝟏𝟎 𝐭𝐨 𝟏𝟐% 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 has had, currently has, or will have asthma in the future. Although it most commonly appears 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝, asthma can appear at any time of life.
In a study published in 𝑆𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝐼𝑚𝑚𝑢𝑛𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑦, the authors noted that children who have contracted the 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐜𝐲𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐮𝐬 (RSV) and have a family history of asthma or allergies are more likely to overreact to common allergens and have a 𝐬𝐢𝐱𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐡𝐦𝐚. They then modeled this interaction in mice infected with a virus similar to RSV. 𝐈𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐥𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐒𝐕 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 in reducing the risk of developing asthma.
Preventing RSV infection would therefore 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐡𝐦𝐚, with a considerable decrease in consequences and costs for families and healthcare systems. In addition, it would provide protection against 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐑𝐒𝐕 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐡𝐦𝐚.