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Allergies are multifactorial diseases the onset of which depends also on genetic and environmental factors in early life. Thus, environmental factors can affect the immune response and modify lung development, thereby leading to asthma. The role of the factors used to date to predict asthma development is modest, and clinical criteria should always be considered in association with familiarity for atopy. The aim of this study is to evaluate the risk of asthma in a population with positive Skin Prick Test (SPT) (which is a reliable marker of atopy) to food allergens, regardless of clinical manifestations in the early years of life. The cohort of children enrolled in our study who had a positive SPT to food in the first three years of life had a prevalence of asthma after 7–14 years, double that of the general pediatric population. This prevalence increased significantly in patients with SPT positivity for food and inhalant allergens. We identified a correlation between the sensitization profile in children under the age of 36 months and the development of asthma during a period of 7–14 years. This study confirms that early sensitization is an important risk factor for the development of asthma, particularly in association with sensitization to inhalants, and that the persistence of food sensitization in school-age children and adolescents is associated to more severe asthma.

The measure of Quality of Life (QoL) has become one of the most important criteria used to assess the impact of chronic illness, such as asthma, on the patient's daily life, in adults and children alike. The objective of our open observational study was to measure the QoL and analyze several factors that potentially affect QoL, such as symptoms and functional respiratory parameters, in a cohort of children with asthma. One hundred and twenty-seven children with asthma, 6 to 14 years of age, living in the city of Rome, were enrolled as outpatients. They were subjected to Skin Prick Tests (SPT), underwent spirometry and filled out the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ). One hundred and eleven children were diagnosed with intermittent asthma, 12 (10%) with mild asthma, and four with moderate persistent asthma. Ninety-six children had a positive SPT. The mean total score of QoL, obtained from the questionnaire, was 5.4 (±1.2 SD). Two QoL groups were created. Children with total QoL score

After birth various bacterial species, mainly streptococci, colonize the oral cavity and are frequently isolated from carious lesions in children. Previous studies suggest that an earlier colonization of a child's mouth by cariogenic organisms might be related to a higher risk of caries. The aim of this study is to assess the influence of different milks for infant feeding on the growth of Streptococcus mutans (SM) colonies. Three human milk samples from three different mothers and five infant formulas were tested. To prepare the bacterial inoculum, SM was grown in Brain Heart Infusion broth for 18 hours at 37°C in microaerophilic atmosphere. The growth of SM was determined immediately after the inoculation of milks (T0) and after 24 hours (T24) of incubation. After 24 hours of incubation (ΔT= CFUs/ml at T24 – CFUs/ml at T0) the bacterial growth changes were different among milks. Among the complementary milks tested, ΔT of formulas supplemented with Lactobacillus reuteri and with Bifidobacterium lactis was lower than those of non-supplemented formula. In conclusion, on the basis of the reduced SM growth in milks supplemented with probiotics, we may speculate that these formulas have a preventive effect on the development of caries in children.

Upper respiratory infection is the most common reason for seeking medical care for children. Recurrent viral respiratory infections and subsequent complications are a burden for children, their families and society. It has been estimated that at least 6% of children younger than 6 yr of age presents recurrent respiratory infections, as consequence of an increased exposure to infectious agents during the first years of life, when immune functions are still immature. Pediatricians must identify risk factors predisposing to upper respiratory tract infections and plan specific preventive strategies, ie avoidance of precocious day-care attendance and secondary smoke. Vaccination against influenza and pneumococcal diseases should always be recommended.

Alterations in the immune response play an important role in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD). We evaluated the role of Th1/Th2 cytokine imbalance in paediatric AD and its progression towards other allergic manifestations. The levels of total interleukin (IL)-12 (p70+p40), IL-12 p70 and soluble CD30 (sCD30) were measured in paediatric patients affected by AD and in age-matched, non-atopic subjects (controls). The serum levels of total IL-12 and sCD30 were higher in patients than in controls (p=0.003 and p=0.053, respectively). Total IL-12 and sCD30 were also particularly increased in patients with severe disease. Serum levels of total IL-12 were negatively correlated with patient age (p=0.001): they were significantly higher in patients younger than 30 months, as compared to age-matched controls and to older patients and controls. Total IL-12 and sCD30 production were not significantly correlated with disease outcomes (atopic march) or with a family history of atopy. Our data show that total IL-12 levels are strongly associated with Th2 activation and severe disease in children with AD. The increased production of total IL-12 at an early age might indicate a different immune modulation and suggests the possibility of new therapeutic approaches for allergic diseases, in particular AD, early in childhood.

Diagnosis of CGD is made by demonstrating absent or markedly reduced oxidase activity in stimulated neutrophils. The screening test proposed is based upon the naked eye evaluation of the reduction of NBT on a solid surface. It seems to be a useful tool for rapid and inexpensive detection of CGD patients, especially for large-scale screening purposes. The test was carried out on forty-five subjects: two males affected by CGD, three female carriers and forty healthy donors. The test confirmed the results obtained with flow cytometric and NBT assays.