Respiratory Virus Surveillance -- United States, 1983-1984
Reports of noninfluenza respiratory virus isolations from
certain
state and university laboratories received by CDC through January
18
show: (1) large numbers of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
isolates
were reported beginning in December and continuing into January
from
the New England, Mid-Atlantic, and South Atlantic regions. Large
numbers of RSV were also reported from the Mountain region through
December (no January data available). The South Atlantic region
reported the largest number of RSV isolates: 70 of 114 respiratory
specimens tested in December and January were positive for RSV.
Fewer
RSV isolates were reported for the same period in the East South
Central, West South Central, and Pacific regions; (2) parainfluenza
type 1 isolates peaked in October, with very few isolates reported
in
December and January; (3) smaller numbers of parainfluenza types 2
and
3 and rhinovirus isolates were reported throughout this period in
some
regions.
Reported by LL Minnich, MS, CG Ray, MD, Arizona Health Science
Center,
Tucson; B Lauer, MD, M Levin, MD, University of Colorado Health
Sciences Center, Denver; C Brandt, PhD, HW Kim, MD, Children's
Hospital National Medical Center, District of Columbia; L Pierik, K
McIntosh, MD, The Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; P
Swenson, PhD, North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, CB Hall,
MD,
University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York; H
Friedman, MD, S Plotkin, MD, The Children's Hospital of
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania; M Kervina, MS, E Sannella, MS, PF Wright, MD,
Vanderbilt
University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; L Corey, MD,
Children's Orthopedic Hospital, Seattle, Washington; Respective
State
Virus Laboratory Directors; Div of Viral Diseases, Center for
Infectious Diseases, CDC.
Editorial Note
Editorial Note: RSV is the major lower respiratory tract pathogen
in
infants and children under 2 years old (1). In this age group, it
is
the principal etiologic agent of bronchiolitis and pneumonia and
can
be a serious nosocomial pathogen, especially in patients with
compromised cardiac and respiratory systems (2,3). Hospitalized
infants and young children with proven or suspected RSV infections
should be placed in contact isolation during their illnesses (4).
RSV
infections recur throughout life, with illness in adults usually an
upper respiratory infection, though there are reports of outbreaks
of
RSV with lower respiratory tract illness and death in the elderly.
Outbreaks of RSV occur yearly throughout the United States
beginning
sometime between late fall and spring. They usually last from 2 to
5
months.
References
Chanock RM, Kim HW, Brandt CD, Parott RH. Respiratory
syncytial
virus. In: Evans AS, ed. Viral infections of humans;
epidemiology and control. New York: Plenum Medical Book Co.,
1982:471-89.
Hall CB. Nosocomial viral respiratory infections: perennial
weeds on pediatric wards. Am J Med 1981;70:670-6.
MacDonald NE, Hall CB, Suffin SC, Alexson C, Harris PJ, Manning
JA. Respiratory syncytial viral infection in infants with
congenital heart disease. N Engl J Med 1982;307:397-400.
Garner JS, Simmons BP. Guideline for isolation precautions in
hospitals. Infect Control 1983; 4(suppl):245-325.
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