The burden of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) among adults during flu season; an underestimated pathology.
J Hosp Infect. 2018 Mar 31;:
Authors: Kestler M, Muñoz P, Mateos M, Adrados D, Bouza E
Abstract
BACKGROUND: information on the role of RSV in adult patients with influenza-like syndrome is scarce.
AIM: To assess the clinical characteristics of RSV in adult patients with respiratory manifestations during a regular influenza season.
METHODS: Prospective study in a tertiary Spanish hospital from December 2015 to February 2016. Study population included only adult patients with either community-acquired or hospital/healthcare-associated influenza-like illness, accordingly to the ECDC criteria. Samples were analyzed using a rapid molecular assay (Xpert® Flu/RSV). RSV-positive patients were compared with a randomly negative control group and with an influenza-positive control group.
FINDINGS: 1200 patients with influenza-like respiratory infection were included. Overall, 114 of the samples (9%) were positive for influenza and 95 (8%) were positive for RSV. When RSV-positive and influenza-positive patients were compared, RSV-positive patients were older (57.7 vs 48.9 years; p=0.03), and their disease was more frequently healthcare-related (26/95; 27.3% vs 5/114; 1.7%, p<0.001). They also had significantly more antibiotics prescribed (77/95; 81.0% vs 70/114; 61.4%, p<0.001) and need more frequently hospital admission (93/95; 97.8% vs 69/114; 60.5%, p<0.001). Mortality was also significantly higher in RSV-positive patients (14/95; 14.7% vs 7/114; 6.1%, p=0.04).
CONCLUSION: RSV is a major cause of moderate to severe respiratory infection during the influenza season, acquisition is frequently nosocomial or health care-related, and mortality is significantly higher than with influenza virus infection. The use of a rapid molecular test as a first-step diagnostic technique is necessary to ensure that isolation measures are implemented and spread is prevented.
PMID: 29614245 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]