Associations between Nasal Torquetenovirus Load and Spirometric Indices in Children with Asthma

Fifty-nine children with well-controlled, mild to moderate persistent asthma were studied for the presence and load of torquetenovirus (TTV) in nasal fluid. Rates of TTV positivity and mean nasal TTV loads were not dissimilar to those observed in the general population and in a group of 30 age- and residence-matched healthy control children without a history of asthmatic disease. However, in the children with asthma, 3 important indices of lung function--forced expiratory flow (FEF) in which 25% and 75% of forced vital capacity (FVC) is expired (FEF(25%-75%)), forced expiratory volume in 1 s/FVC, and FEF(25%-75%)/FVC--showed an inverse correlation with nasal TTV load. Furthermore, signs of reduced airflow were more frequent in the children with asthma who had high nasal TTV loads (> or =6 log(10) DNA copies/mL of nasal fluid) than they were in those who had low nasal TTV loads (<6 log(10) DNA copies/mL of nasal fluid), despite similar therapy regimens. In contrast, the control children showed no associations between nasal TTV load and the spirometric indices. Levels of eosinophil cationic protein in sputum were also greater in the children with asthma who had higher nasal viral burdens than they were in those who had lower nasal viral burdens. These findings are the first report of TTV infection status in children with asthma and suggest that TTV might be a contributing factor in the lung impairment caused by this condition.