title: [Respiratory virus infections in adult patients hospitalized in an internal medicine unit].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Respiratory viral infections (RVi) can be associated with a wide range of clinical manifestations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the frequency and clinical manifestations of RVi among adult patients during winter hospitalizations.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients admitted to the hospital with flu like disease and those with fever or exacerbation of any underlying disease during hospitalization without an evident cause, were prospectively enrolled. A direct immunofluorescence (DIF) of nasopharyngeal aspirate for influenza A (IA) and B, parainfluenza 1, 2 and 3, adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and metapneumovirus, was performed. Epidemiological and clinical data were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between May and September 2012, 975 adults were admitted to the Internal Medicine Unit of Puerto Montt Hospital and in 128 (13%) patients, DIF was carried out. DIF was positive in 44 patients (34%) aged 65 ± 20 years, 68.2% females, corresponding to 4.5% of total hospitalizations. Eighty six percent of the latter had at least one co-morbidity, mainly asthma and chronic respiratory diseases in 34.1%, diabetes in 29.5%, cardiac problems in 25% and congestive heart failure in 20.5%. The most common RVi were RSV (n = 21, 48%) and IA (n = 17, 39%). Six patients had a nosocomial RVi. Patients infected with IA had a significantly higher frequency of fever and bronchial hyper reactivity than those infected with RSV. RVi were associated with exacerbation of underlying disease in 62% of cases and pneumonia in 27%. Two patients had a viral pericarditis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RVi are an important cause of adult morbidity and their detection should be routine in adult patients hospitalized during winter.
authors.forename: Raúl
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Riquelme
authors.forename: María Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Rioseco
authors.forename: Yasna
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Agüero
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ubilla
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mechsner
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Inzunza
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riquelme
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D019085:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D012621:Seasons; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult