Lauren Benton, MD
University of Arizona
Research Project:
Why is Asthma More Likely in Children with Febrile Respiratory Infections?
Grant Awarded:
- ACRC Early Career Investigator Grant
Research Topics:
- basic biologic mechanisms
- biomarkers
- immunology immunotherapy
- risk factors
Research Diseases:
- allergy
- asthma
- respiratory viruses
The risk of having asthma is high in allergic children who experience febrile respiratory infections (fLRI). Although we do not know why asthma is more likely in children with an fLRI, previous studies have shown that young children who have disease-causing bacteria in their nose and throat are more prone to severe respiratory infections. We think that when these bacteria interact with the body’s immune defenses, excessive or inappropriate responses occur that cause the child to get sicker, and this in turn, may damage the bronchi and predispose for asthma. We will employ the powerful tools of systems biology to study at the same time the microbes that live in our bodies and our responses to these microbes—specifically, the microbes present in children who have fever during those infections. The study population will consist of young children who come to a hospital with severe respiratory infections. Our final goal is to find ways in which we can prevent asthma in children who are susceptible.
Page last updated: September 30, 2025
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