Objective To investigate the levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein 4 (MCP-4), macrophage derived chemokine (MDC) and cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLTs) in serum of children with mycoplasma pneumonia (MP). Methods Serum levels of MCP-4, MDC and CysLTs measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay were analyzed in 60 children with MP including 36 children with wheezing (MP wheezing group) and 24 children without wheezing (MP non-wheezing group), 30 children with pneumonia but not infected with mycoplasma pneumonia (NMP group), 35 children with acute asthma exacerbation (asthma group), and 25 health children (control group). Results Serum levels of MCP-4, CysLTs and MDC were found markedly elevated in asthma group. The serum levels of MCP-4 and MDC showed signiifcant difference between each of the groups (all P<0.01) except that between non-wheezing group and NMP group (P>0.05). As for serum level of CysLTs, no signiifcant differences were found between asthma group and MP wheezing group, NMP group and MP-non-wheezing group (all P>0.05). The serum levels of MCP-4, MCD and CysLTs in children with MP were positively correlated with one another. Conclusions MCP-4, MDC and CysLTs play important roles in pathogenesis of MP and are the major causes of wheezing in MP.

Objective To investigate the prevalence of food allergy among children living in metropoli-ses aged 0-14 years. Methods In this cross-sectional study a questionnaire was distributed to parents taking care of children aged 0-14 years from China′s 31 metropolises to get the parents reported prevalence. Results A total of 337560 children aged 0-14 years participated in the survey. There are 19676 children reported with food aller-gy(5. 83%). In different regions,the parents reported prevalence of food allergy had significant difference(χ2 =657. 01,P<0. 001). It was highest in the eastern (7. 38%,5259) and the northeastern (7. 03%,2916) part of China,and was lowest in the northwestern part of China,which was 4. 35%. Of all the 31 surveyed metropolises, the parents reported prevalence of food allergy was highest in Qingdao,and lowest in Lhasa,which was 9. 11%(917/10066),and 2. 33% (116/4984)respectively. The prevalence of food allergy in males and females was 5. 87% and 5. 79% respectively,with no significant difference (χ2 =1. 078,P=0. 299). The prevalence of food allergy in preschool children (3-5 years old,6. 65%) was higher than other ages (χ2 =46. 469,P<0. 001). Of children reported to have food allergy,38. 5% had a history of eczema,23. 0% had a history of allergic rhinitis, and 37. 7% had a family history of allergic diseases. Conclusion The parents reported prevalence of food aller-gy among children 0-14 years old from 31 metropolises in China was 5. 83%. In different regions cities and a-ges,there′s significant difference of the reported prevalence. There′s no significant difference of parents reported prevalence between males and females. The study would have great significance in reflecting and evaluating the prevalence of food allergy among children.