title: Occurrence of virus-induced COPD exacerbations during four seasons.
abstract: In this study, we investigated the occurrence of viral infections in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) during four seasons. Viral infections were detected by the use of real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction on pharyngeal swabs. During a 12-month period pharyngeal swabs were obtained in 136 exacerbations of 63 patients. In 35 exacerbations (25.7%) a viral infection was detected. Most viral infections occurred in the winter (n = 14, 40.0%), followed by summer (n = 9, 25.7%), autumn (n = 6, 17.1%), and spring (n = 6, 17.1%). Rhinovirus was the most frequently isolated virus (n = 19, 51.4%), followed by respiratory syncytial virus (n = 6, 16.2%), human metapneumovirus (n = 5, 13.5%), influenza A (n = 4, 10.8%), parainfluenza 4 (n = 2, 5.4%), and parainfluenza 3 (n = 1, 2.7%). This study showed that virus-induced COPD exacerbations occur in all four seasons with a peak in the winter months. However, the distribution of rhinovirus infections showed a different pattern, with most infections occurring in July.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Respiratory Medicine.
authors.forename: Remco S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Djamin
authors.forename: Sevim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Uzun
authors.forename: Eveline
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Snelders
authors.forename: Jan J W
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Kluytmans
authors.forename: Henk C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Hoogsteden
authors.forename: Joachim G J V
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Aerts
authors.forename: Menno M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Van Der Eerden
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010850:Picornaviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D012621:Seasons
keywords: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; exacerbations; seasonal patterns; virus