Background: Viruses other than influenza A can present as an
influenza-like illness (
Objective: To compare the morbidity and mortality of rhinovirus infection to influenza A among patients served in a tertiary referral center.
Methods:
Retrospective chart review of patients with a positive respiratory viral test
result by xTAG� RVP (Luminex
Corp,
Results: Six-hundred and
thirty specimens were received for respiratory viral testing.� There were 128 (20%) positive tests for
influenza A, 81 (13%) for rhinovirus, and 11 (1.7%) other viruses.� There were 201 (91%) adults and 19 (9%)
children (<18y).� The mean age for the
influenza group was lower compared to the rhinovirus group (Table 1).� Gender and race were similar in the 2 groups.� More antiviral treatment was given to the
influenza group (p<0.001) but there was no difference in the receipt of antibacterial
agents.� More fever and
Conclusions: Patients with 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza A and rhinovirus had similar hospitalization rates and admissions to the ICU.� There were more immunocompromised patients and bacterial co-infections in the rhinovirus group, which could account for the similarity of the clinical course to influenza. �Rhinovirus infection, while usually mild, in a tertiary referral center demonstrates morbidity and mortality similar to influenza A.�� �
Table 1.
Characteristic
| Influenza group number (%)
| Rhinovirus group number (%)
| P value
|
Number�����������������������
| 128
| 81
| --
|
Age
| 34.2 y � 16.8 y
| 41.2 y � 15.4 y
| P=0.003
|
Fever
| 97 (76%)
| 32 (42%)
| P<0.001
|
| 76 (59%)
| 14 (18%)
| P<0.001
|
Antiviral therapy
| 58 (45%)
| 11 (14%)
| P<0.001
|
Antibacterials
| 33 (26%)
| 23 (30%)
| NS
|
Immunocompromised
| 10 (7.8%)
| 17 (22%)
| P=0.003
|
Coinfection
| 11 (8.6%)
| 17 (21%)
| P=0.01
|
Hospital admission
| 38 (30%)
| 24 (31%)
| NS
|
ICU stay
| 7 (5.5%)
| 7 (9.1%)
| NS
|
Death
| 2 (1.6%)
| 2 (2.6%)
| NS
|
NS=not significant