title: Detection of respiratory viruses in adult patients with perennial allergic rhinitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The symptoms of allergic rhinitis may be worsened by a viral respiratory infection. However, there are few data on the presence of respiratory virus in patients with allergic rhinitis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether patients with allergic rhinitis have an increased frequency of respiratory virus detection in a prospective case-control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-eight adult patients diagnosed with perennial allergic rhinitis were evaluated from September 2011 through June 2012. A control group of 61 adult patients without allergy was included. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction was used to detect respiratory viruses in nasal lavage samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Respiratory viruses were detected in 25 of 58 patients (43.1%) with perennial allergic rhinitis, but in only 15 of 61 control patients (24.6%). In virus-positive samples, multiple viruses were detected in 9 of 25 patients (36.0%) with perennial allergic rhinitis but in only 2 of 15 control patients (12.5%). Rhinovirus was the most common virus in patients without allergy and those with allergic rhinitis. There were significant differences in the detection rates of overall and multiple respiratory viruses and rhinovirus between the 2 groups (P < .05). However, in patients with allergic rhinitis, there was no statistically significant association between the detection of respiratory viruses and symptom scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that there is a high prevalence of respiratory viruses, especially rhinovirus, in patients with allergic rhinitis. Subsequent studies are needed to determine the clinical significance of highly prevalent respiratory viruses in patients with allergic rhinitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Heui
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Byoung Jae
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Chang-Hoon
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Nam Hee
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yong Ju
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Jang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017817:Nasal Lavage Fluid / Q000821:virology; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D014780:Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral