Year: 2016
Type: article
Abstract: Purpose: Human rhinoviruses (HRVs) are common upper respiratory tract pathogens that can occasionally cause lower respiratory tract disease. Unlike other members of the Enterovirus genus, HRV viremia has only recently been documented using sensitive molecular methods. In the recently completed Etiology of Pneumonia in the Community (EPIC) study, HRVs were found to be one of the most commonly detected pathogens in the upper respiratory tract of persons hospitalized with community acquired pneumonia (CAP), with detections in 29% and 9% of children and adults tested, respectively. However, HRVs were also detected in the upper respiratory tract of 17% of healthy pediatric controls, complicating efforts to link HRV detection with illness. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of HRV viremia among EPIC enrollees to assess HRV viremia as a possible indicator of lower respiratory tract infection in CAP. Methods & Materials: Sera collected within 72 hours of admission from 417 children and 154 adult CAP patients who had HRV detected from upper respiratory samples were tested by real-time RT-PCR (rRT-PCR) assay. HRV positive respiratory and sera samples were typed by RT-PCR and sequencing of partial VP4/VP2 regions. Results: HRV viremia was detected in 56 (9.8%) of these 571 patients with the proportion of detections varying by age group: <6 months of age, 2/51 (3.9%); 6-11 months, 5/55 (9.1%); 12-23 months, 21/80 (26.3%); 24-59 months, 20/99 (20.2%); 5-9 years, 8/92 (8.7%); 10-18 years, 0/41 (0%); >18 years, 0/153 (0%). Of 56 viremic patients, 29 (52%) had corresponding convalescent serum available for testing; all were negative by rRT-PCR for HRV RNA. A second respiratory virus was co-detected in the respiratory specimen of 3 of 56 (5.4%) viremic patients compared with 82 of 321 (25.5%) patients without viremia (Chi-squared, p<0.001). Viremia was more often associated with species C viruses: HRVA, 1/278 (0.36%); HRVB, 0/39 (0%); HRVC, 55/254 (21.7%). Conclusion: HRV viremia was identified in nearly 1 in 10 patients hospitalized with CAP who had HRV detected from upper respiratory samples and was most often associated with species C virus infection in children less than 10 years of age.
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,900
OpenAlex ID: W2567719794