Abstract
Human rhinoviruses (HRV) are known to cause common cold as well as more complicated respiratory infections. HRV species -A, -B and -C have all been associated with lower respiratory infections and exacerbations of asthma. However, the type distribution of strains connected to different kinds of lower respiratory conditions is not clearly known. We have analysed the presence of HRV in sputum specimens derived from military recruits with and without pre-diagnosed asthma at times of acute respiratory infection (CIAS Study, 2004–2005). The analysis was performed with HRV and HEV real-time RT-PCR assays. Subsequently we studied type distribution of HRV strains by genetic typing in the VP4/VP2 genomic region. In total 146 (38.8%) specimens were HRV-positive and 36 (9.3%) HEV-positive. No difference was found in HRV detection between the asthmatic vs. non-asthmatic patients. Most of the genetically typed strains, 18 (62.1%), belonged to HRV-A, while HRV-B strains constituted five (17.2%) of the HRV-positive strains. HRV-C strain was typed four times from the HRV-positive cases and a HEV-D strain twice. We further typed six HEV positive strains in the partial VP1 region. Three of these belonged to HRV-A and three to HEV-D. HRV-A strains were discovered throughout the study period, while HRV-C strains originated from winter and spring specimens. Interestingly, four out of five typed HRV-B strains originated from the summer season specimens.
Highlights
Human rhinoviruses (HRVs) are known to cause common cold as well as more complicated respiratory infections
We analyzed 386 sputum specimens derived from military recruits with or without pre-diagnosed asthma
All specimens were studied with human enterovirus (HEV) real-time RT-PCR
Summary
Human rhinoviruses (HRVs) are known to cause common cold as well as more complicated respiratory infections. Clinical evidence suggests association of HRVs to various lower respiratory diseases: bronchiolitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, and asthma exacerbations (reviewed by Hayden [6]). All species have been associated to lower respiratory infections and exacerbations of asthma [9,10,11,12,13]. The type distribution of strains connected to different kinds of lower respiratory conditions is not clearly known. In addition to HRVs, HEVs are known to be present in respiratory samples. This study analysed respiratory samples from adult military conscripts with and without previously diagnosed asthma. We aimed at elucidating the role of HRVs in respiratory infections of adults. We aimed to study genetic variation of HRVs in the Finnish adult population, as previous studies concentrated mainly on children
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