| Title | What role for human rhinoviruses in the lower respiratory tract? | ||
| Author | Costa, Cristina; Bergallo, Massimiliano; Sidoti, Francesca; Terlizzi, Maria Elena; Astegiano, Sara; Botto, Sara; Elia, Mariateresa; Cavallo, Rossana | ||
| Journal | New Microbiol | Publication Year/Month | 2009-Jan |
| PMID | 19382677 | PMCID | -N/A- |
| Affiliation | 1.SCDU Virologia, Dipartimento di Sanita Pubblica e Microbiologia, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Giovanni Battista, Via Santena, 9-10126 Torino. cristina.costa@unito.it. | ||
Human rhinoviruses (HRV) usually cause upper airway infections. However, viral replication in the tracheobronchial tree has been disclosed, although its clinical role is poorly known. We evaluated the prevalence of HRV in 159 bronchoalveolar lavages from 88 patients and describe a lung transplant recipient with a high HRV load in association with acute rejection. HRV was detected in 22/88 patients (25.0%): 7/18 lung transplant recipients, 11/41 immunocompetent, and 4/29 immunocompromised (p = n.s.). No lung disease was significantly associated with HRV positivity. It should be recommended to include HRV in the virological diagnostic work-up of lower respiratory specimens to elucidate their role.