Seroprevalance of Chlamydia pneumoniae in children with acute asthma exacerbation

İn order to evaluate the role of C. pneumoniae infections in exacerbations of asthma in children and effects of clarithromycin therapy, 25 children with asthma exacerbation were enrolled in the study. Twenty-five sex and age matched children without any history of respiratory tract infection in last three months and atopy served as control group. Serum samples for the determination of C. pneumoniae spesific IgG and IgA antibody leves of C. pneu­ moniae were taken on admission with acute exacerbation and 4th and 12th weeks after exacerbation in asthmatic children. One serum sample was collected from Controls. Appropriate acute exacerbation therapy and clarithromycin 15 mg/kg body weight/day for 10 days were given ali asthmatic children. The prevalance of C. pneu­ moniae spesific IgG and IgA was similar in asthmatic children during acute exacerbation, at 4th and 12 th weeks after exacerbation and in Controls (p > 0.05). VVhen C. pneumoniae spesific antibody lndex values were evaluate in the asthmatic children after treatment, significantly decreases were detected in IgG levels (p<0.05). Our results suggest that C. pneumoniae infections is not an important cause of acute asthma exacerbations in children, however the antibody index values of IgG were significantly decreases with clarithromycin therapy.