Rhinovirus Species and Their Clinical Presentation Among Different Risk Groups of Non-Hospitalized Patients

Infections caused by Human Rhinoviruses (HRVs) account for 25-50% of respiratory illnesses among individuals presenting influenza-like illness (ILI). HRVs could be classified in at least three species: HRV-A, HRV-B, and HRV-C. the HRV-C species has frequently been described among children and has led to severe illness resulting in hospitalization; however, the occurrence among adults is unknown. the aim of this study was to assess the clinical presentation and species distribution of HRV infections in different populations during 2001-2008. A total of 770 samples were collected. Subjects consisted of 136 adults from the general community and 207 health-care workers (2001-2003), 232 renal-transplanted outpatients (2002-2004), 70 children with congenital heart disease (2005) and 125 children from a day-care center (2008). Amplification of HRV genes was performed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. HRV was detected in 27.4% of samples (211/770), with 72 children (36.9%) and 139 adults infected (24.2%). A total of 89.61% (138/154) unknown HRV strains were sequenced, and 79.22% (122/138) were analyzed. We identified 74 isolates (60.7%) of the HRV A species, 21(17.2%) of the HRV B species and 27 isolates (22.1%) of the HRV C species. HRV species A and B caused ILI among adult patients, whereas HRV-C did not. the dynamics of infection among different species deserve further analysis. J. Med. Virol. 82:2110-2115,2010. (c) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Infect Dis Unit, Clin Virol Lab, São Paulo, BrazilFed Univ Para, Inst Biotechnol, BR-66059 Belem, Para, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Infect Dis Unit, Clin Virol Lab, São Paulo, BrazilFAPESP: 07/01166-9Web of Scienc