Does inhalation of endotoxin cause asthma in children?
In children with asthma, respiratory symptoms can become more severe with the inhalation of endotoxin because exposure can exacerbate airflow obstruction and inflammation. Although not all children exposed to endotoxin and other environmental allergens will develop asthma, these health effects may be aggravated in children who have allergies. Recent NIEHS-supported research demonstrated that certain mutations in endotoxin response genes can alter the body’s ability to respond to environmental triggers. Research is now being conducted to determine if exposure to endotoxin can cause asthma in very young children. NIEHS-supported research on endotoxin and childhood asthma • Discovery of mutations in genes that affect human response to environmental endotoxin • Mechanisms of endotoxin toxicity to the lung and other organ systems • Research to measure the concentration of endotoxin in indoor and outdoor air in urban and rural locations • Epidemiologic studies to determine whether endotoxin
