Browsing by Subject "viruses"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3

Open Access
Maternal Effects of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection during Pregnancy.
(Emerg Infect Dis, 2015-11) Wheeler, Sarahn M; Dotters-Katz, Sarah; Heine, R Phillip; Grotegut, Chad A; Swamy, Geeta K
Given the illness and deaths caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection during the first year of life, preventing infant RSV infections through maternal vaccination is intriguing. However, little is known about the extent and maternal effects of RSV infection during pregnancy. We describe 3 cases of maternal RSV infection diagnosed at a US center during winter 2014. Case-patient 1 (26 years old, week 33 of gestation) received a diagnosis of RSV infection and required mechanical ventilation. Case-patient 2 (27 years old, week 34 of gestation) received a diagnosis of infection with influenza A(H1N1) virus and RSV and required mechanical ventilation. Case-patient 3 (21 years old, week 32 of gestation) received a diagnosis of group A streptococcus pharyngitis and RSV infection and was monitored as an outpatient. Clarifying the effects of maternal RSV infection could yield valuable insights into potential maternal and fetal benefits of an effective RSV vaccination program.
Embargo
Prevalence and Predictors of Antibiotic Prescription Among Patients Hospitalized with Viral Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in Southern Province, Sri Lanka
(2023) Medrano, Perla Giselle
Background: Antimicrobial overprescription has been associated with antimicrobial resistance, and is common for lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) as viral and bacterial infections generally present with similar clinical features. The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence and predictors of antibiotic prescription among children and adults hospitalized with viral LRTI. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted among patients hospitalized with viral LRTI in a tertiary care hospital in Southern Province, Sri Lanka from April 2018 to October 2021. Consecutive patients ≥1 year old who met a case definition for LRTI were enrolled. Patients’ demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were recorded. A nasopharyngeal sample and blood sample were collected from all patients for multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for respiratory pathogens and procalcitonin (PCT) detection, respectively. Among patients with viral RTI, demographic and clinical features associated with antibiotic prescription were identified using Chi Square and t-tests, as appropriate. Significant variables (p<0.05) on bivariable analyses were included in a multivariable logistic regression model to identify features associated with antibiotic prescription. The potential impact of procalcitonin testing on antibiotic prescription was simulated using standard PCT cut-offs. Analyses were conducted separately for children (<18 years) and adults using R Statistical Software (R Core Team 2022). Results: A total of 1217 patients were enrolled during the study period; of these, 438 (36.0%) had one or more respiratory viruses detected. Of 438 patients, 48.4% were male and 30.8% were children; the median age was 4 years (IQR 2-7) for children and 61 years (IQR 48-70) for adults. The most commonly detected viruses were influenza A (39.3%), human rhinovirus/ enterovirus (HRV/HEV; 28.3%), and respiratory syncytial virus A (RSV A; 10.3%). Overall, 114 (84.4%) children and 266 (87.8%) adults with respiratory viruses were treated with antibiotics during hospitalization. On multivariable modeling for children, neutrophil percentage (median 63.8% vs 47.3%, p=0.03) was positively associated with antibiotic prescription. Among adults, headache (60.6% vs 35.1%, p=0.003), presence of crepitations/crackles on exam (55.3% vs 21.6%, p<0.001), rhonchi/wheezing on exam (42.9% vs 18.9%, p=0.005), and presence of opacities on chest x-ray (27.4% vs 8.1%, p=0.01) were associated with antibiotic prescription. Access to PCT test results could have potentially decreased inappropriate antibiotic prescription in this study by 83.3%. Conclusions: A high percentage of viral detection and high prevalence of antibiotic prescription were observed among a large inpatient cohort with LRTI. Our results suggest that improved access to point-of-care biomarker testing may improve antimicrobial stewardship for LRTI in this low-resource setting.
Open Access
The Use of Bioaerosol Sampling for Airborne Virus Surveillance in Swine Production Facilities: A Mini Review.
(Front Vet Sci, 2017) Anderson, Benjamin D; Lednicky, John A; Torremorell, Montserrat; Gray, Gregory C
Modern swine production facilities typically house dense populations of pigs and may harbor a variety of potentially zoonotic viruses that can pass from one pig generation to another and periodically infect human caretakers. Bioaerosol sampling is a common technique that has been used to conduct microbial risk assessments in swine production, and other similar settings, for a number of years. However, much of this work seems to have been focused on the detection of non-viral microbial agents (i.e., bacteria, fungi, endotoxins, etc.), and efforts to detect viral aerosols in pig farms seem sparse. Data generated by such studies would be particularly useful for assessments of virus transmission and ecology. Here, we summarize the results of a literature review conducted to identify published articles related to bioaerosol generation and detection within swine production facilities, with a focus on airborne viruses. We identified 73 scientific reports, published between 1991 and 2017, which were included in this review. Of these, 19 (26.7%) used sampling methodology for the detection of viruses. Our findings show that bioaerosol sampling methodologies in swine production settings have predominately focused on the detection of bacteria and fungi, with no apparent standardization between different approaches. Information, specifically regarding virus aerosol burden in swine production settings, appears to be limited. However, the number of viral aerosol studies has markedly increased in the past 5 years. With the advent of new sampling technologies and improved diagnostics, viral bioaerosol sampling could be a promising way to conduct non-invasive viral surveillance among swine farms.