Respiratory virus infection in immunocompromised patients.

Seventy-eight immunocompromised patients were prospectively evaluated for infection with respiratory viruses including parainfluenza viruses, respiratory syncytial virus, influenza viruses and adenoviruses beginning before marrow transplant and continuing to 60 days after transplant or discharge from hospital. Patients were studied both on a fixed surveillance schedule and at any time upper or lower respiratory symptoms developed. Fifteen (19%) patients had a respiratory virus detected including parainfluenza 1 in six patients, adenovirus in five, parainfluenza 3 in two, and influenza A and respiratory syncytial virus in one each. Twelve patients had infection before transplant and 11 of these had upper respiratory symptoms. Three patients had virus isolated only after transplant. Both patients with parainfluenza 3 infection developed pneumonia. One patient died with disseminated adenovirus infection. These data suggest that infections with respiratory viruses are frequent and often symptomatic in immunocompromised patients. Since antiviral therapy is available for some of these infections, early specific viral diagnosis is of potential clinical importance in immunocompromised patients with respiratory symptoms.