Prolonged presence of rhinovirus RNA rare among healthy infants

Presence of rhinovirus RNA in infants’ respiratory tract following upper respiratory infection rarely persisted longer than 30 days, according to study findings published in Pediatrics.

Michael J. Loeffelholz, PhD, of the University of Texas Medical Branch, and colleagues followed 362 healthy infants through 5 winter seasons. Nasopharyngeal specimens were collected monthly during study months 1 through 6, month 9 and during upper respiratory tract infection.

Michael J. Loeffelholz

Approximately 70% of infants tested positive for rhinovirus at least once, with 341 rhinovirus infections identified among 216 infants. Follow-up specimens within 30 days of initial infection were available for 179 infections; these specimens served as the sample set to assess prolonged rhinovirus presence.

Eight infections had prolonged presence, defined by researchers as the presence of the same rhinovirus strain for longer than 30 days. Prolonged presence ranged from 31 to 91 days and accounted for 4.5% of rhinovirus infections.

Researchers identified four different symptom patterns among the eight cases of prolonged rhinovirus presence. Patients with prolonged rhinovirus presence were 1) initially symptomatic, with rhinovirus RNA detectable after resolution of symptoms; 2) symptomatic throughout; 3) asymptomatic throughout; or 4) asymptomatic at first detection with later development of symptoms.

“Rhinovirus infection in young, otherwise healthy infants rarely result in persistence of RNA beyond 30 days. The detection of rhinovirus RNA most likely represents recent infection,” Loeffelholz and colleagues wrote. “Further studies with frequent follow-up visits will help define the duration of virus shedding in rhinovirus infections with various clinical manifestations.”

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.

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Source:

Loeffelholz MJ. Pediatrics. 2014; doi:10.1542/peds.2014-2132.