title: [Viral infections as a cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation].
abstract: COPD is a progressive disease whom course is characterized by repeated exacerbations, with a negative impact on quality of life and health costs. Although a causal link between the identification of viruses in the upper respiratory tract and exacerbation is not definitively established, there is growing evidence that viruses are important triggers of exacerbations in more than 50 percent of cases. Yet, neither clinical presentation nor biological markers permit to discriminate between viral and non viral exacerbations.
authors.affiliation: Département de médecine interne, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève et Faculté de médecine de Genève. omarkherad@gmail.com
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kherad
authors.forename: O T
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Rutschmann
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*