Cold-like infections make 'cough receptors' in the airways more
sensitive, making asthmatics more prone to bouts of coughing and
wheezing, reveal scientists presenting their findings at the
Society for General Microbiology's (SGM) Spring Conference in
Dublin (March 2012). The work could lead to drugs that reduce
virus-induced coughing in those suffering chronic lung diseases.
Asthmatics often report bouts of coughing, wheezing and
breathlessness when they have a cold and there is no current
medicine that sufficiently treats this problem. Researchers at
Queen's University Belfast are investigating 'cough receptors'
that line the cells of the airway and how these are affected by
rhinovirus -- a virus frequently responsible for the common
cold. The team showed that rhinovirus infection caused an
increase in the number of these cough receptors- making the
airways more sensitive. The findings of this study may lead to
new drugs that reduce virus-induced cough and wheeze in
asthmatics and those with other chronic l