Evaluating the Asthmatic Response to an Experimental Infection With Rhinovirus in the Atopic

Using rhinovirus strain 16 (RV-16) for inoculation, this study is designed to examine mechanisms of the asthmatic response to RV in the atopic host. In keeping with this, the primary objective of this investigation will be to test the hypothesis that mild asthmatics enrolled in this study will experience significantly increased lower respiratory tract symptoms over the first 4 days after experimental inoculation with RV-16 than non-allergic, non-asthmatic controls (as shown in our previous studies). It is anticipated that the results will serve to guide the development of new treatments to prevent asthma attacks provoked by RV. This will be a 5 week longitudinal study of 18 young allergic adults with mild asthma and 18 non-asthmatic controls who will be evaluated for 1 week to establish baseline symptoms and lung function, followed by an inoculation with rhinovirus (strain-16) and subsequent clinical and laboratory (mechanistic) monitoring for an additional 4 weeks. To participate in this study, subjects must live within 90 minutes by car from the University of Virginia. Note: This study has been reviewed and is being monitored for safety by the NIH/NIAID Safety Monitoring Committee and by teh University of Virginia IRB (#12673). The virus pool used for inoculation has been produced under GMP conditions and is approved for this research by the FDA.