Genetics of asthma

Viruses can cause colds, which can make it hard to breathe. Asthma is also a condition that makes it hard to breathe. Both can cause you to cough, wheeze, or become short of breath. In babies, viral infections are common. But, not all lead to asthma. In babies, if an infection is serious, you may have to go to a hospital. These viruses or lower airway infections are the ones that may lead to childhood asthma. Asthma is a result of both genetic and environmental factors. Timing also plays a role. For example, a gene change may cause asthma only if you get certain virus between the ages of 1 and 2. This makes it hard to find the changes in genes that link to asthma. Scientists found a few gene changes they think may cause asthma.Researchers at Vanderbilt will use BioVU to study childhood asthma. They will look for gene changes in infants who had certain lower airway infections. They will check if those children developed asthma. They will look for a link between certain gene changes and childhood asthma. The results of their study could help us better understand childhood asthma. It may also help us predict who might be at risk. It may lead to better treatment. It could even lead to new ways to reduce the risks, or prevent it.