Blood Test May One Day ID Those At Risk Of Cold-Related Asthma Attacks

April Flowers for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online
The common cold, caused by rhinovirus, is a nuisance to everyone. For people with asthma or COPD, a severe lung disorder, the common cold can cause serious flare-ups of their conditions. A new study led by the Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research at the MedUni Vienna demonstrates a new method for filtering out this risk group using a blood test. The findings were published in a recent issue of EBioMedicine.
Katarzyna Niespodziana from the Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research says that many severe asthma attacks are triggered by rhinoviruses. The combination of the cold virus and chronic pulmonary conditions can cause life threatening exacerbations, and possibly worsen the underlying disease.
In collaboration with Imperial College in London, the research team was able to develop a blood test that will identify a diagnostic marker that can be used to identify the risk group for asthma attacks caused by the rhinovirus. To test the efficacy of their method, the researchers infected a group of healthy subjects and asthma patients in the UK with the rhinovirus under controlled conditions.
Using recombinant virus antigens that were developed at the MedUni Vienna, the antibody tests revealed that the asthmatics who experienced attacks expressed significantly higher antibodies to the structure protein VP1 than any of the other subjects. VP1 is found in all of the 150 known strains of rhinovirus. “We are therefore able to show that this protein is suitable as a diagnostic marker and also as a tool for categorizing disease-triggering strains,” explains the MedUni Vienna researcher.
Prior to this study, it was possible to detect the presence of the rhinovirus using a PCR test. It was not possible, however, to determine whether the rhinovirus strain involved would make the patient ill or lead to an attack. The new study’s identification of the rise in VP1 antibodies allows scientists to identify individuals who need particular protection against colds.
The researchers also hope that their findings will advance the search for a vaccine against colds. Developing such a vaccine is challenging because the particular strain of rhinovirus causing the attack must be identified first.
—–
Follow redOrbit on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.