Respiratory viral infections in patients with chronic, obstructive pulmonary disease

• Published in: The Journal of infection Vol. 50; no. 4; pp. 322 - 330
• Main Authors: Beckham, J. David, Cadena, Ana, Lin, Jiejian, Piedra, Pedro A., Glezen, W. Paul, Greenberg, Stephen B., Atmar, Robert L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2005; Elsevier; The British Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd
• Subjects: Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma; Coronavirus; Exacerbation; Female; Hospitalization; Human metapneumovirus; Humans; Infectious diseases; Influenza; Influenza, Human - diagnosis; Male; Medical sciences; Metapneumovirus; Middle Aged; Parainfluenza virus; Paramyxoviridae Infections - diagnosis; Picornaviridae Infections - diagnosis; Pneumology; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - complications; Respiratory syncytial virus; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections - diagnosis; Respiratory Tract Infections - diagnosis; Respiratory viral infection; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Rhinovirus; Virus Diseases - diagnosis; Exacerbation; Respiratory syncytial virus; Coronavirus; Influenza; Respiratory viral infection; Parainfluenza virus; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Hospitalization; Rhinovirus; Human metapneumovirus; Infection; Human; Respiratory tract; Lung disease; Chronic; Respiratory disease; Viral disease; Bronchus disease; Obstructive pulmonary disease
• ISSN: 0163-4453; 1532-2742
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2004.07.011

The purpose of the present study was to apply reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) assays to clinical specimens collected from patients with acute respiratory illness and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). One hundred and ninety-four samples from two different study cohorts were analysed using RT-PCR assays for picornaviruses, coronaviruses 229E and OC43, influenza A and B viruses, respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza types 1–3 viruses, and human metapneumovirus and a PCR assay for adenoviruses. The results were added to results obtained previously using cell culture and serologic methods. RT-PCR assays identified an additional 35 respiratory virus-associated illnesses not identified previously by cell culture or serology ( n=46). Picornaviruses and coronaviruses were the most common viral infections identified only by RT-PCR. Overall, 41.8% of the acute respiratory illnesses evaluated were associated with a respiratory virus infection, with picornaviruses, coronaviruses and influenza viruses being the most common infections recognized. No human metapneumovirus infections were identified by RT-PCR assay. Respiratory viral infections are commonly associated with acute respiratory illness in COPD patients, and the use of RT-PCR assays significantly increases the ability to diagnose these infections.