The diagnostics of respiratory viral infections has improved markedly during the last 15 years with the development of PCR techniques. Since 1997, several new respiratory viruses and their subgroups have been discovered: influenza A viruses H5N1 and H1N1, human metapneumovirus, coronaviruses SARS, NL63 and HKU1, human bocavirus, human rhinoviruses C and D and potential respiratory pathogens, the KI and WU polyomaviruses and the torque teno virus. The detection of previously known viruses has also improved. Currently, a viral cause of respiratory illness is almost exclusively identifiable in children, but in the elderly, the detection rates of a viral etiology are below 40%, and this holds also true for exacerbations of chronic respiratory illnesses. The new viruses cause respiratory symptoms like the common cold, cough, bronchitis, bronchiolitis, exacerbations of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia. Acute respiratory failure may occur. These viruses are distributed throughout the globe and affect people of all ages. Data regarding these viruses and the elderly are scarce. This review introduces these new viruses and reviews their clinical significance, especially with regard to the elderly population.
A cross‐sectional study was carried out in spring 2007, at the end of the first bluetongue outbreak season, to determine the geographical spread of bluetongue virus serotype 8 (btv‐8) infection in cattle in the Netherlands and the consequences for some production parameters. Blood samples from cattle submitted to the laboratory of the Dutch Animal Health Service for other voluntary and obligatory health programmes were tested serologically for btv‐8. In total, 37,073 samples were tested and 659 (1·78 per cent) were seropositive. The samples came from 5436 herds, of which 45 per cent of herds had only one sample submitted from them. The prevalence was highest in the south of the country, where the outbreak had started, and decreased towards the north. In 340 herds more than 50 per cent of cattle were tested, of which 156 herds were located in infected compartments, and in 37 of these herds (10·9 per cent) at least one positive cow was detected. The average within‐herd prevalence in the 37 herds was 39·3 per cent: 2·2 per cent in 11 dairy herds, 68·4 per cent in 20 small‐scale herds and 14 per cent in four suckler cow herds. The prevalence differed significantly between herd types but did not show a geographical trend. The average net return for milk production amounted to €2417/cow/year and it decreased significantly on average by €48/cow/year in the bluetongue‐infected dairy herds during the bluetongue period. On the small‐scale farms, the incidence of mortality increased by 3·2 (95 per cent confidence interval [ci] 1·2 to 9·1) times in the infected herds during the bluetongue period, but the voluntary culling rate decreased by a factor of 2·3 (95 per cent ci 1·1 to 4·8).
Background Older adults are more susceptible to respiratory tract infection than healthy working age adults. The increased susceptibility of older adults is thought to be interlinked with vitamin D status, nourishment, and immunological state in general. Data are scarce whether these parameters could serve as prognostic markers. Aim To study whether serum 25(OH)D, albumin, and LL-37 level could give prognostic value of long-term survival in the older adults with multimorbidity and acute respiratory infection. Methods Consecutive episodes of hospital care of patients 65 years and older with respiratory symptoms were prospectively studied as a cohort. Standard clinical questionnaire was filled by the study physician. Laboratory markers included serum levels of 25(OH)D, albumin and LL-37, C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell count (WBC) and polymerase chain reaction diagnostics for 14 respiratory viruses. Pneumonia was confirmed by chest radiographs. Respiratory illness severity, death at ward, length of hospital stays, and 5-year survival were used as outcomes. Results In total, 289 older adult patients with mean age of 83 years were included in the study. Serum 25(OH)D deficiency (< 50 nmol/liter) was present in 59% and hypoalbuminemia (< 3.5 g/dL) in 55% of the study patients. Low serum albumin level was associated to one, two- and five-year mortality after hospital stay (all P < .05). In addition, it was associated with pneumonia, dyspnea, over 13-night long stay at ward and death at ward (all P < .05). No associations were seen between serum 25(OH)D and LL-37 levels and disease severity, short-term clinical outcome, or long-term survival. Associations between serum 25(OH)D, albumin, and LL-37 levels and respiratory virus presence were not seen. Conclusions Serum albumin level on admission seems to give valuable information about the patients’ general health and recovery potential in treating older adults with respiratory symptoms. Serum 25(OH)D and LL-37 had no associations with disease severity or long- and short-term prognosis among older adults hospitalized with respiratory symptoms.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.