Abstract
Fungi can exacerbate symptoms in patients with asthma. To our knowledge, genetic risk factors for fungal-associated asthma have not been described. We present here the cases of 6 children who carried the diagnosis of severe asthma with fungal sensitization, 3 of whom were treated with and responded clinically to itraconazole therapy. All 6 patients were heterozygous for a 24-base pair duplication in the CHIT1 gene, which has been associated with decreased levels of circulating chitotriosidase and susceptibility to fungal infection.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | e982-e985 |
Journal | Pediatrics |
Volume | 126 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 2010 |
Keywords
- Allergy
- Chitin
- Innate immunity
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health