Abstract
We analyzed the clinical spectrum of Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp) infections among asthmatic children and non-asthmatic children. Among asthmatic children, serum specific antibody for Mp passive agglutinin titer, lasted for a long time and did not drop to the zero level over years. Long term survival of Mp among them was speculated. Almost asthmatic infants and young children less than 4 years tended to show wheezing, whereas wheezing was accompanied just among half of older asthmatic children. Among non-asthmatic children, the incidence of wheezy episode was restricted mainly during infancy.
As regards eosinophils in peripheral blood, eosinophila was not observed among non asthmatic infants and young children with wheeze at the acute phase of Mp infection, whereas eosinophilia was observed among not only asthmatic children but also older children without asthma. There may be possibilities that eosinophilia can be induced by reinfection and modify the disease in a protectiveway or a harmful way. Further work should be done to elucidate biphasic eosinophil roles during Mp infection.
