title: Clinical practice of respiratory virus diagnostics in critically ill patients with a suspected pneumonia: A prospective observational study.
abstract: Clinical guidelines suggest testing for respiratory viruses during the influenza season, but are unclear which categories of patients on the intensive care unit (ICU) should be tested.
  
  
  
  We described the clinical practice of diagnostic testing for respiratory virus infections in patients presenting to ICU with suspected community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) or hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP).
  
  
  
  Prospective observational study in consecutive CAP and HAP patients with an ICU stay of more than 24h in two tertiary care hospitals in The Netherlands, from 2011 to December 2013. The proportion of patients receiving diagnostic testing with PCR for the presence of respiratory viruses in respiratory tract specimens was determined.
  
  
  
  In total, 1452 patients were included, of which 712 patients presented with CAP and 740 with HAP. In CAP, 282 of 712 (40%) were tested for respiratory viruses (190 of 417 (46%) during the influenza season). In HAP, 95 of 740 (13%) were tested (50 of 372 (13%) during the influenza season). Regardless of the season, virus diagnostic tests were ordered significantly more often in patients with comorbidities, and in those presenting with elevated CRP and leucopenia. In patients who were tested during the influenza season, the prevalence of influenza was 14% in patients with CAP and 10% in those with HAP. Influenza was absent during the summer in both groups.
  
  
  
  Less than half of patients admitted to the ICU with suspected pneumonia were tested for the presence of viral pathogens, either in or outside the influenza season.
authors: Department of Intensive Care, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Medical Microbiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: frankvsg@gmail.com.
authors: Frank
authors: F
authors: van Someren Gréve
authors: Department of Intensive Care Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: davidsyong@gmail.com.
authors: David S Y
authors: DS
authors: Ong
authors: Department of Intensive Care Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors: Olaf L
authors: OL
authors: Cremer
authors: Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors: Marc J M
authors: MJ
authors: Bonten
authors: Department of Intensive Care, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Lieuwe D J
authors: LD
authors: Bos
authors: Department of Medical Microbiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Menno D
authors: MD
authors: de Jong
authors: Department of Intensive Care, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Marcus J
authors: MJ
authors: Schultz
authors: Department of Intensive Care, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Nicole P
authors: NP
authors: Juffermans
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003428:Cross Infection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011024:Pneumonia, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods*; D014780:Viruses / Q000302:isolation & purification
keywords: Influenza; Intensive care; Pneumonia; Respiratory tract infections; Routine diagnostic tests; Virus diseases