As much as 80 percent of asthma exacerbations in children cause viral infections – experts emphasize. Specialists especially recommend vaccination for this group of patients.
Asthma is one of the most common respiratory diseases that has many causes and releasing factors. Most often there is allergic asthma caused by allergens occurring throughout the year, such as dust mites, animal hair or mold. Other forms of this disease are non -allergic asthma in which allergens are not detected, and very dangerous eosinophilic asthma – with elevated levels of eosinophils in the blood. In Poland, about two million people live with this disease.
Asthma affects about 5-10 percent of children in our country. The reason for the exacerbations of the disease can be allergens, air pollution, and even weather changes, physical effort or sulfur dioxide in the air. According to the chairman of the coalition for the treatment of asthma prof. Kulus brand, up to 80 percent Asthma exacerbations in children cause viral infections. Most often, in as much as 60 percent, they are rhinoviruses (HRV) – causing pathogens colds. There are no protective vaccines against these germs. However, other preparations protecting against infections are available.
How to protect yourself
There are no protective vaccines against these germs. However, other preparations protecting against infections are available.
– Both the World Health Organization (WHO) and scientific societies recommend both patients with asthma and chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) Protective vaccinations. It is not true that they reduce immunity. On the contrary – thanks to them, patients “exacerbate” less often, and even if there is an infection, their lungs or heart will not be damaged – emphasizes the chairman of the Polish Federation of Associations of Patients with Asthma, Allergies and COPD dr hab. Piotr Dąbrowiecki.
In our country, many protective vaccines are at least partially reimbursed, which patients should give in to asthma. These are flu vaccination, pneumococci, Covid-19, RSV respiratory viruses and chicken. Specialists advise that every asthma patient to ask their attending physician or a specialist, what vaccination and when he should accept.
– You can and should be done to avoid exacerbations due to infection in the next season – argues dr hab. Piotr Dąbrowiecki.
Source of the main photo: Pixel-shot/shutterstock