Upper respiratory infections in children: response to endonasal administration of IGA.

Children, 36, predisposed to frequent upper respiratory infections were treated with endonasal administration of an IgA enriched preparation or placebo in a randomized double blind trial. We found a reduction in the number of infectious episodes and in the number of enlarged regional lymph nodes. Also, an increase of IgA levels in saliva in the treated group was observed, probably not only due to the effect of IgA supplementation, but also to an immunoregulatory effect on the mucosa caused by the preparation administered. We found this therapy very useful in the prophylaxis of upper respiratory infections, being the nasal administration very convenient to be used in children.