title: [Importance of respiratory virus in immunocompetent adult patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a relevant worldwide cause of morbidity and mortality in adult population, however its etiology is often not identified and therapy is empirical.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the etiology of CAP in immunocompetent adult hospitalized patients using conventional and molecular diagnostic methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively studied 240 adult patients who were hospitalized for CAP to identify the microbial etiology. Sputum and blood cultures were obtained as well as serology testing for Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydophila pneumoniae, urinary antigen testing for Legionella pneumophila and Streptococcus pneumoniae, and a nasopharyngeal swab for the detection of sixteen respiratory viruses by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 100 patients (41.7%) a single respiratory pathogen was identified. In 17 (7.1%) cases, a mixed bacterial and viral infection was detected and no pathogen was identified in 123 cases (51%). The most commonly identified pathogens identified were: influenza virus (15.4%), parainfluenza virus (10.8%), rhinovirus (5%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (5%), respiratory syncytial virus (2.9%) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (2.5%). Infectious agent detection by RT-PCR provided greater sensitivity than conventional techniques. Viral respiratory infections were more prevalent in older patients with comorbidities and high risk patients, according to the Fine index at hospital admission. The clinical severity and outcome were independent of the etiological agents detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of molecular diagnostic techniques expanded the detection of respiratory viruses in immunocompetent adults hospitalized with CAP.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Saldías Peñafiel
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ortega Gutiérrez
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.
authors.forename: Gino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fuentes López
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: José Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Elola Aránguiz
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Uribe Monasterio
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morales Soto
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Orlando
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Díaz Patiño
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D060085:Coinfection; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011024:Pneumonia, Viral / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012621:Seasons; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult