Seasonal variation in respiratory syncytial virus–specific IgG concentrations in Northern Plains American Indian children with asthma

Background: Exposure to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) during childhood is nearly ubiquitous by age 2 years, and infants who develop severe RSV bronchiolitis are more likely to develop asthma later in life. Objective: We sought to quantify IgG response to RSV infection in American Indian children with and without asthma and to investigate the environmental, clinical, and genetic factors that associate with varying response. Methods: We compared immunologic response to previous RSV infection in 319 children with and without asthma from a Northern Plains American Indian community and investigated the role of environmental and genetic factors in levels of RSV-specific IgG. Conclusions: Our findings suggest a seasonal difference in immunologic response to RSV infection that varies by asthma status and warrants further investigation.