ABSTRACT
Human rhinovirus (HRV) is an emerging viral pathogen. Aim: To characterize a group of patients admitted due to infection by this agent in a general hospital in Chile. Methods: Cases were identified by RT-PCR for 1 year through active surveillance of patients admitted with severe respiratory illness. Diagnosis was not available during hospitalization. Thirty-two cases were identified, 90% were ≥60 years old or had co-morbid conditions. Human rhinovirus-related admissions represented 23.7% of hospitalization due to severe acute respiratory infections among adults and ranked second to influenza (37.8%). Patients presented with pneumonia (68.8%), decompensated chronic lung conditions (21.9%), heart failure or influenza-like illness (6.3% each). Admission to intensive or intermediate care units was required by 31.2% and in-hospital mortality reached 12.5%. A CURB-65 score ≥3 was significantly associated to in-hospital mortality (p < 0.05). Most patients received antibiotics (90%). Conclusions: Human rhinovirus infections in elderly patients with co-morbid conditions are associated with hospitalizations, requiring critical or semi-critical antibiotics use. A high CURB-65 score was associated to in-hospital mortality. .
Subject(s)
Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Picornaviridae Infections/virology , Rhinovirus , Respiratory Tract Infections/virology , Acute Disease , Chile/epidemiology , Hospital Mortality , Prospective Studies , Picornaviridae Infections/epidemiology , Picornaviridae Infections/therapy , Respiratory Tract Infections/epidemiology , Respiratory Tract Infections/therapy , Seasons , Severity of Illness IndexABSTRACT
UNLABELLED: Human rhinovirus (HRV) is an emerging viral pathogen. AIM: To characterize a group of patients admitted due to infection by this agent in a general hospital in Chile. METHODS: Cases were identified by RT-PCR for 1 year through active surveillance of patients admitted with severe respiratory illness. Diagnosis was not available during hospitalization. Thirty-two cases were identified, 90% were ≥60 years old or had co-morbid conditions. Human rhinovirus-related admissions represented 23.7% of hospitalization due to severe acute respiratory infections among adults and ranked second to influenza (37.8%). Patients presented with pneumonia (68.8%), decompensated chronic lung conditions (21.9%), heart failure or influenza-like illness (6.3% each). Admission to intensive or intermediate care units was required by 31.2% and in-hospital mortality reached 12.5%. A CURB-65 score ≥3 was significantly associated to in-hospital mortality (p<0.05). Most patients received antibiotics (90%). CONCLUSIONS: Human rhinovirus infections in elderly patients with co-morbid conditions are associated with hospitalizations, requiring critical or semi-critical antibiotics use. A high CURB-65 score was associated to in-hospital mortality.
