Concurrent Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Influenza A Infections in the Institutionalized Elderly and Chronically III

Abstract

During a community outbreak of respiratory syncytial virus and influenza A/Texas/77 infections, 71 cases of upper respiratory illness at a chronic disease hospital were investigated using a surveillance system plus viral and serologic studies. Of the 32 patients with an etiologic diagnosis, 7 had respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), 24 had influenza (I) and 1 had dual infections with RSV and I. No definite etiologic diagnosis was made in the remaining 39 patients. A comparison of the clinical features of patients infected with RSV and I revealed no significant differences in the frequency of respiratory or constitutional signs and symptoms except for rhinorrhea, which was more common in the RSV group (P < 0.05). Pneumonia developed in 1 patient with RSV and in 5 I patients. RSV may be an important respiratory pathogen for the elderly and chronically ill, causing illness similar to I.