Seattle's Child Magazine: Infection and Premature Birth May Increase Odds of Asthma

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Published: Friday, February 5, 2010

Infection and Premature Birth May Increase Odds of Asthma

The Los Angeles Times

Infants who are born premature and with chorioamnionitis, a common bacterial infection that occurs in babies in about 8 percent of pregnancies have an increased risk of developing asthma according to a new report from Kaiser Permanente's Department of Research and Evaluation. Premature birth and infection nearly double the risk of asthma in African American children.

Researchers are not sure how much of a factor chorioamnionitis is in inducing asthma but are clear that it plays a role. Chorioamnionitis is marked by a fever above 100.4 degrees and may result in increased maternal or fetal heart rate, uterine tenderness, foul-smelling amniotic fluid and increased white blood-cell counts. Report authors say they are also not clear whether the duration of the infection influences the risk.

About 14% of American children suffer from asthma, an inflammation of the airways that is marked by wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightening and coughing. African Americans suffer from asthma at a rate about 25% higher than the general population and the findings could account for a significant portion of that increase, scientists say.

The Kaiser Permanente report was published this month in the journal Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.

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