Etiology of respiratory viral infections using rapid virus isolation methods at a tertiary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Mixed cell line cultures were used for the first time in Saudi Arabia to accelerate virus isolation. This method was used for detection of respiratory viral infections in order to provide timely information to the physician for effective patient management. In this retrospective study we describe etiology and 'time to detection' of respiratory viral infections between November 2006 and October 2007 at King Abdulaziz Medical City [KAMC], a 1,000 bed tertiary care facility in Riyadh. Rapid testing algorithms allowed all Respiratory Syncytial Virus [RSV] isolates to be detected in one day, influenza isolates to be detected in two days, Parainfluenza isolates within 3 days, adenovirus in 2-5 days. Ninety two percent of RSV infections occurred in children one year and under. RSV infections were found to occur between November and February with a peak in January, Influenza and adenovirus outbreaks were found to occur in November and December. Parainfluenza occurred in two waves firstly in November and December followed by another peak in April. Rapid diagnosis of viral diseases can now be performed by most laboratories to determine which viruses are circulating in their communities and provide information on disease trends to aid control and prevention