Pathogenesis of asthma

Asthma is one ofthe commonest diseases in children and adults İn many countries. The prevalence of asthma has dramatically increased in recent years. The development of asthma depend on an interaction between genetic factors, environmental exposure to allergens, and nonspesific adjuvant factors such as tobacco smoke, air pollu- tion, and vira! infections. These factors initiates a series of immunological changes, resulting in airvvay inflamma- tion. The airvvay inflammatory process is characterized by chronic eosinophilic and Th2 type lymphocytic infiltra- tion. Although the knovvledge about asthma pathogenesis has increased, the prevalence of asthma has not decreased. Therefore, the asthma stili is a threat for the society’s health at the beginning of the 21 st century.