Nasal quantity of respiratory syncytial virus correlates with disease severity in hospitalized infants

Abstract

To evaluate the relationship between nasal quantity of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and disease severity in hospitalized infants without underlying cardiopulmonary disease or immunodeficiency. Nasal aspirates were obtained from hospitalized infants or =35 weeks gestation (8 of 10 vs. 12 of 29, P = 0.035). The linear model found that higher nasal RSV quantities were associated with severe disease [mean +/- SEM, 5.06 +/- 0.34 log plaque-forming units (pfu)/ml vs. 3.91 +/- 0.35 log pfu/ml, P = 0.022], gestational age > or =35 weeks (5.44 +/- 0.27 log pfu/ml vs. 3.52 +/- 0.45 log pfu/ml, P = 0.002) and non-Caucasian ethnicity (5.16 +/- 0.30 log pfu/ml vs. 3.80 +/- 0.37 log pfu/ml, P = 0.006). Nasal RSV quantity correlates with disease severity in hospitalized infants with recently identified RSV infection.