Methodology :
Written informed consent taken from the parents of the study population.
Ethical committee clearance obtained from institutional ethical
committee.
Patients with coryza, fever, cough and wheeze are classified as
bronchiolitis clinically.
Chest x ray, CBC taken. Blood for serum IgE is measured by electro chemi
luminescence immunoassay.
Normal value : 0-1 years 0-15 IU/ml
1-5 years 0-60 IU/ ml
Eosinophil count is performed with diluting whole blood with a staining
solution. The Phloxine B present in the diluting fluid stains only
eosinophils red. All other leucocytes are preserved but not stained. The
diluting specimen is charged onto a hemo cytometer for counting. Using
low power objective, the eosinophils appear bright orange red and
clearly distinguishable from neutrophils, basophils, lymphocytes and
monocytes which do not stain. <350 cells / micro litre
considered normal.
Throat swab for RSV antigen is taken from posterior pharyngeal wall and
transported to the lab through viral transport medium using cold chain
and is measured by PCR.
These patients are followed for a period of 1 year to find out the
proportion of occurrence of wheeze in IgE positive patients.