Asymptomatic Summertime Shedding of Respiratory Viruses. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • To determine rates of both symptomatic and asymptomatic infection among ambulatory adults, we collected nasopharyngeal swab specimens, demographic characteristics, and survey information from 1477 adult visitors to a New York City tourist attraction during April-July 2016. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction analysis was used to identify specimens positive for common respiratory viruses. A total of 7.2% of samples tested positive for respiratory viruses; among positive samples, 71.0% contained rhinovirus, and 21.5% contained coronavirus. Influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, and parainfluenza virus were also detected. Depending on symptomatologic definition, 57.7%-93.3% of positive samples were asymptomatic. These findings indicate that significant levels of asymptomatic respiratory viral shedding exist during summer among the ambulatory adult population.

publication date

  • March 13, 2018

Research

keywords

  • Nasopharynx
  • Seasons
  • Virus Shedding
  • Viruses

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC7107397

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 85044233891

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1093/infdis/jix685

PubMed ID

  • 29300926

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 217

issue

  • 7