Etiology and pathogenesis of bronchial asthma associated with viral and bacterial infections

A presente revisão tem por objetivo atualizar os conhecimentos sobre a etiopatogenia da asma brônquica resultante de infecções virais e bacterianas. Em nossa experiência, as infecções respiratórias são freqüentemente associadas a sinusite infecciosa supurativa crônica (sinusobronquite). Sugerimos esquemas de entendimento dos mecanismos da doença, tendo por base a hiperreatividade brônquica. Revisam-se as bases racionais do tratamento da asma brônquica e da sinusobronquite.The ma in goal of this review is to update the knowledge on the etiology and the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma associated with viral and bacterial infections. In ou r experience bacterial infections in asthma are frequently associated to chronic suppurative infectious sinusitis (sinusobronchitis). We suggest schemes of reasoning on the mechanisms of disease, based on bronchial hyperreactivity. The rational bases of therapy of asthma and sinusobronchitis are outlined