title: Frequency and Duration of Rhinovirus Infections in Children With Cystic Fibrosis and Healthy Controls: A Longitudinal Cohort Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Respiratory viral infections are an important cause of morbidity in patients with chronic respiratory diseases, such as cystic fibrosis (CF). We hypothesized that patients with CF are more susceptible to human rhinovirus (HRV) infections than healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a 6-month winter period, 20 young children with CF (0-7 years) and 18 age-matched healthy controls were sampled biweekly for HRV-polymerase chain reaction using nasopharyngeal swabs, irrespective of respiratory symptoms. Respiratory symptoms were scored twice a week. If any symptom was present, an additional sample was obtained. All HRV-positive samples were genotyped to distinguish HRV subtypes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We analyzed 645 samples, with comparable total numbers of samples in both groups. HRV was detected in 40.8% of all analyzed samples. Children with CF had significantly more HRV-positive samples compared with healthy controls, with a mean number (± standard deviation) of 8.1 ± 2.3 versus 5.7 ± 2.9 positive samples per individual (P < 0.01). Prolonged detection (>2 weeks) with the same HRV subtype occurred more frequently in the CF patients (P < 0.01). The genetic distribution and pattern of phylogenetic diversity of the different HRV subtypes were similar in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first in vivo longitudinal study showing that HRV is detected more frequently and persists for longer periods in CF patients compared with healthy controls. This might indicate increased viral replication and/or decreased antiviral defense in patients with CF.
authors.affiliation: From the *Department of Pediatrics, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, Utrecht, The Netherlands; †Department of Pediatrics, Tergooi Hospital, Blaricum, The Netherlands; ‡National Institute of Public Health and Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands; and §University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
authors.forename: Jasper S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Dijkema
authors.forename: Bart E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: van Ewijk
authors.forename: Berry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wilbrink
authors.forename: Tom F W
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Wolfs
authors.forename: Jan L L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kimpen
authors.forename: Cornelis K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: van der Ent
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D010850:Picornaviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011292:Premedication; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012229:Rhinovirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral