Abstract
Rationale-In a paediatric population hospitalized for bronchiolitis rhinovirus (RV) type C is associated with more severe respiratory symptoms as compared to other RV genotypes (Bizzintino,ERJ,'11). RV infections in infants are linked to the development of asthma but specific clinical features of RV-C infection in the general population are unknown. We therefore aim to study the occurrence and respiratory symptom severity associated with RV-C in an unselected paediatric population.
Methods-This is a cross-sectional study from the prospective EUROPA birth cohort, aimed at early prediction of asthma (N=1207;0-3 years). Nose and throat swabs were collected in both asymptomatic infants and infants whose parents consulted the GP for wheeze or dyspnea. RV presence was tested using a 5'UTR rtPCR with genotyping based on the VP4/VP2 region. Symptom severity was assessed by parents scoring the presence and severity of 10 symptoms (range 0-50) and by clinicians using the validated PRAM-score (range 0-12).
Results-102 infants (13.3±5.5 months) presented with an infection of whom 53% had a positive RV PCR. RV-A, B & C were found in 35%, 4% and 24% of cases, respectively. 2/17 asymptomatic infants tested positive for RV-A. RV genotypes did not differ significantly regarding symptom severity as scored by parents (μ±SD=14±6.4; p=0.75) and clinicians (1.5±1.9; 0.33).
Conclusion-Rhinovirus-C infection occurred in 24% of the infants and is associated with similar symptom severity as other RV-genotypes. Since RV-C appears to be commonly involved in wheezy episodes not requiring hospitalization, it's association with future development of asthma needs to be examined.
- © 2012 ERS
