Respiratory syncytial virus pneumonia in hospitalized adult patients with leukemia

Clin Infect Dis. 1995 Aug;21(2):376-9. doi: 10.1093/clinids/21.2.376.

Abstract

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has been demonstrated to be an important cause of life-threatening pneumonia in adult bone marrow transplant recipients; however, its role in other immunocompromised adults has not been defined. We prospectively studied all adult patients with leukemia who were hospitalized at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (Houston) during a 1-year period (November 1993 through October 1994). During a 19-week period when RSV was prevalent in the community, it was isolated from 9 (10%) of 87 patients with leukemia who developed an acute respiratory illness. In 6 (75%) of 8 patients with profound chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression, the RSV infection was complicated by pneumonia, with an 83% mortality rate. RSV appears to be an important cause of severe and often fatal pneumonia in myelosuppressed patients with leukemia.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adult
  • Antigens, Viral / analysis
  • Antineoplastic Agents / adverse effects
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / virology
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect
  • Hospitalization
  • Humans
  • Immunocompromised Host*
  • Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / therapeutic use
  • Leukemia / complications*
  • Leukemia / drug therapy
  • Nasopharynx / virology
  • Pharynx / virology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / etiology*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / therapy
  • Pneumonia, Viral / virology
  • Prospective Studies
  • Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / etiology*
  • Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / therapy
  • Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / virology
  • Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / isolation & purification
  • Ribavirin / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Antigens, Viral
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Antiviral Agents
  • Immunoglobulins, Intravenous
  • Ribavirin