TY - JOUR
T1 - Clinical Characterization of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Adults
T2 - A Neglected Disease?
AU - Estofolete, Cassia F.
AU - Banho, Cecília A.
AU - Verro, Alice T.
AU - Gandolfi, Flora A.
AU - dos Santos, Bárbara F.
AU - Sacchetto, Livia
AU - Marques, Beatriz de C.
AU - Vasilakis, Nikos
AU - Nogueira, Maurício L.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.
PY - 2023/9
Y1 - 2023/9
N2 - Lower respiratory tract infections (LRIs) are a significant cause of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) across all age groups, especially in children under 9 years of age, and adults over 75. The main causative agents are viruses, such as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Viral LRIs in adults have historically received less attention. This study investigated the incidence of RSV and influenza in adult patients admitted to a referral hospital, as well as the clinical profile of these infections. Molecular testing was conducted on nasopharyngeal samples taken from a respiratory surveillance cohort comprising adult (15–59 years) and elderly (60+ years) hospitalized patients who tested negative for SARS-CoV-2, to determine the prevalence for influenza and RSV. Influenza was found to be less frequent among the elderly. The main symptoms of RSV infections were cough, fever, dyspnea, malaise, and respiratory distress, while headache, nasal congestion, a sore throat, and myalgia were most frequent in influenza. Elderly patients with RSV were not found to have more severe illness than adults under age 60, underscoring the importance of providing the same care to adults with this viral infection.
AB - Lower respiratory tract infections (LRIs) are a significant cause of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) across all age groups, especially in children under 9 years of age, and adults over 75. The main causative agents are viruses, such as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Viral LRIs in adults have historically received less attention. This study investigated the incidence of RSV and influenza in adult patients admitted to a referral hospital, as well as the clinical profile of these infections. Molecular testing was conducted on nasopharyngeal samples taken from a respiratory surveillance cohort comprising adult (15–59 years) and elderly (60+ years) hospitalized patients who tested negative for SARS-CoV-2, to determine the prevalence for influenza and RSV. Influenza was found to be less frequent among the elderly. The main symptoms of RSV infections were cough, fever, dyspnea, malaise, and respiratory distress, while headache, nasal congestion, a sore throat, and myalgia were most frequent in influenza. Elderly patients with RSV were not found to have more severe illness than adults under age 60, underscoring the importance of providing the same care to adults with this viral infection.
KW - influenza A virus
KW - influenza B virus
KW - respiratory syncytial virus
KW - severe acute respiratory syndrome
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85172468627&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85172468627&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/v15091848
DO - 10.3390/v15091848
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85172468627
SN - 1999-4915
VL - 15
JO - Viruses
JF - Viruses
IS - 9
M1 - 1848
ER -