title: Epidemiological study of influenza virus infections in young adult outpatients from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Influenza virus is the most common cause of influenza-like illness (ILI) in adults. In Argentina, studies on influenza and other respiratory viruses were performed mostly in pediatric populations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine: (1) the frequency of influenza virus and other common respiratory viruses in adult outpatients with ILI, (2) whether the signs and symptoms predict viral etiology, (3) whether viral diagnosis changes clinical management or infection control measures and (4) to characterize the influenza strains circulating in the community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nasal and pharyngeal swabs from adult outpatients with ILI attending the emergency room during the winter seasons of 2004 and 2005 in Argentina were evaluated by immunofluorescence and RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 151 samples analyzed, 39 (26%) were influenza A positive, 5 (3.3%) influenza B positive and 4 (2.6%) respiratory syncytial virus positive by immunofluorescence. Two samples (1.3%) were human metapneumovirus positive by RT PCR. Cell culture detected six additional influenza viruses and one adenovirus positive sample. The sensitivity of immunofluorescence for influenza compared with culture was 70%. Symptoms did not predict etiology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, 40% of the patients with ILI had a specific viral infection and 83% were influenza viruses. Viral detection was necessary to determine the etiology as signs and symptoms were not different between patients with or without viral infection. Viral diagnosis was important to implement infectious control measures. Circulating influenza strains in this study were similar to the correspondent vaccine strains selected for the Southern hemisphere.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine, CEMIC, Buenos Aires, Argentina. chusantamaria@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Santamaría
authors.forename: Analía
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Urueña
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Videla
authors.forename: Ariel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suarez
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ganduglia
authors.forename: Guadalupe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carballal
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bonvehi
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Echavarría
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000821:virology; D010045:Outpatients; D010614:Pharynx / Q000821:virology; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology*; D014780:Viruses / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D055815:Young Adult