To determine the clinical impact of human rhinovirus (HRV) in adult lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs), validate its capacity to infect lower respiratory tract cells through direct evidence, and identify predictors for HRV-associated pneumonia in adults.
Key Findings:
HRV was detected in 4.6% of hospitalized patients, with bimodal seasonal peaks.
Co-infection occurred in 49.0% of HRV-positive patients, primarily with bacteria and other viruses.
Among HRV-positive cases, only 7.8% met the criteria for simple viral pneumonia.
Independent predictors of simple rhinovirus pneumonia included male gender, fever, and cough.
Histological evidence confirmed HRV infection in lower respiratory tract cells in 61.5% of cases.
Interpretation:
The study provides the first histological evidence of HRV's ability to infect lower respiratory tract cells in immunocompetent adults, supporting its role in pneumonia despite high co-infection rates.
Limitations:
Retrospective design may introduce selection bias, potentially affecting the reliability of findings.
Limited sample size for histological analysis may restrict the generalizability of results.
Exclusion of non-hospitalized patients may affect the generalizability of the findings.
Conclusion:
HRV independently contributes to pneumonia in hospitalized adults, particularly among males and those presenting with fever or cough.
