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PubMed1994

Cutaneous warts in butchers.

Several studies have indicated a high prevalence of hand warts in meat handlers, although the reasons for this are not clear. The high prevalence may be partly due to HPV7, a virus found almost exclusively in meat handlers, but the source of HPV7 is not known. We have carried out a cross-sectional survey of hand warts in male meat workers and controls from other occupational groups, to investigate the reasons for the high prevalence of warts, and particularly of HPV7, in butchers. We studied 240 abattoir workers, 246 retail and wholesale butchers, 308 engineering fitters and 292 office workers. Each subject was interviewed using a standard questionnaire, and his hands were examined by a dermatologist. Scrapings from the warts were tested for HPV1, HPV2 and HPV7 by a polymerase chain reaction method. The prevalence of hand warts was 33.3% in the abattoir workers, 34.1% in the butchers, 19.5% in the engineers and 14.7% in the office workers. Scrapings were taken from 247 of 267 subjects with warts, and HPV DNA was detected in 151 samples. The most common viruses were HPV2 (94 men) and HPV7 (76 men). The excess of warts in meat workers was largely due to HPV7, which was found in only two of the office workers, and was not found in any of the engineers. Logistic regression analysis showed no association between the prevalence of hand warts (or HPV2 and HPV7 specifically) and hand trauma, cold and wet working conditions, smoking, atopy, or handling any particular kind of meat. We suggest that some constituent of animal flesh predisposes to replication of HPV7 in keratinized epithelium.

Abattoirs↗
PubMed2005

Provider and practice characteristics associated with antibiotic use in children with presumed viral respiratory tract infections.

OBJECTIVE: Although overuse of antibiotics in children has been well documented, relatively little information is known about provider and facility characteristics associated with this prescribing practice. This study was done to evaluate the differences in overuse of antibiotics among staff physicians and resident/interns (housestaff [HS]) who work in hospital-based outpatient clinics. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved patient encounters in outpatient departments that were included in the US National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey database from 1995 to 2000. Encounters with patients who were aged <18 years and had a primary diagnosis suggestive of viral respiratory tract infection were evaluated. Patients with comorbid conditions that might justify antibiotic use were excluded. RESULTS: This study included 1952 patient encounters with a primary diagnosis suggestive of a viral infection and 33.2% of these patients receiving antibiotics. Overall, antibiotic use was significantly less among HS (19.5%) than staff physicians (36.4%; odds ratio [OR]: 0.44; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.33-0.59). This difference between HS (19.5%) and staff physicians (32.5%) persisted even within teaching hospitals (OR: 0.5; 95% CI: 0.4-0.7). Among staff physicians, antibiotic use was greater among those who work in nonteaching (39.6%) compared with teaching hospitals (32.5%; OR: 1.51; 95%: CI 1.15-1.98). Controlling for other patient and provider variables, antibiotic use occurred less among HS than among staff physicians in teaching hospitals (OR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.38-0.75). CONCLUSIONS: Antibiotic prescribing in the context of an outpatient visit for a diagnosis suggestive of a viral respiratory tract illness occurs more commonly among staff physicians than trainees and among staff physicians more commonly in nonteaching compared with teaching institutions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Two acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-associated Burkitt's lymphomas produce specific anti-i IgM cold agglutinins using somatically mutated VH4-21 segments.

We analyzed the reactivity and the structure of the VH and VL segments of two IgM monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) produced by spontaneously in vitro outgrowing cell lines, HBL-2 and HBL-3, established from two acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-negative Burkitt's lymphoma (BL). These B-cell clones were representative of the respective neoplastic parental clones, as determined by immunophenotypic and molecular genetic analysis. The IgM MoAbs were highly specific for the i determinant on red blood cells (cold agglutinins), but bound none of the other eight self and nine foreign antigens (Ags) tested, including those most commonly recognized by natural antibodies or autoantibodies. Structural analysis showed that the IgM MoAb VH segment sequences were 93.5% and 84.2% identical with that of the germline VH4-21 gene, which encodes the vast majority of cold agglutinins that are specific for the i/l carbohydrate Ag and are produced under chronic lymphoproliferative conditions. The HBL-2 MoAb VH4-21 gene segment was juxtaposed with 20P3 and JH6 genes and paired with a V lambda 1 segment, the sequence of which was 95.5% identical to that of the germline Humlv117 gene; the HBL-3 MoAb VH4-21 gene segment was juxtaposed with DXP'1 and JH5 genes and paired with a V lambda 1 segment, the sequence of which was 86.7% identical to that of the germline Humlv1L1 gene. The high degree of conservation of the VH4-21 gene in the human population, the nature of the nucleotide differences in the expressed VH4-21 segments, and the presence of nucleotide substitutions in the HBL-2 and HBL-3 IgM MoAb JH and/or J lambda segments suggested that the MoAb V segments underwent a process of somatic hypermutation. This was formally shown in the HBL-3 MoAb VH segment, by differentially targeted polymerase chain reaction amplification of the HBL-3 MoAb-producing cell genomic DNA. In addition, cloning and sequencing of the genomic DNA from fibroblasts of the same patient whose neoplastic B cells gave rise to the HBL-3 cell line yielded a germline copy of the VH4-21 gene. Thus, the expression of VH4-21 gene products may be involved in a self Ag-driven process of clonal B-cell expansion and selection associated with BL in these AIDS patients.

Agglutinins↗
PubMed1990

Detection of rhinovirus RNA in nasal epithelial cells by in situ hybridization.

This paper describes the development and evaluation of in situ hybridization (ISH) for the detection of rhinovirus in cells obtained from nasal washings of volunteers infected with human rhinovirus 14 (HRV-14). Twenty-five (66%) and 27 (71%) of 38 volunteers inoculated with HRV-14 had evidence of infection by virus isolation and ISH, respectively, on at least one of 4 days investigated after virus challenge. In contrast, only 14 of 38 (37%) volunteers had significant antibody rises as detected by the neutralization test. Of the 38 volunteers inoculated with HRV-14, only 13 (34%) had symptoms of colds. Of these, 12 (92%) and 10 (77%) were positive by virus isolation or ISH, respectively, on at least one day. Six (46%) had significant antibody rises by neutralization. Similarly, of the 38 volunteers challenged, 22 (58%) were asymptomatic and of these 10 (45.5%) and 12 (54.5%) were positive by virus isolation and ISH, respectively, on at least one day. Only 8 (36.4%) of these asymptomatic volunteers showed significant antibody rises by neutralization. There were significant associations between the detection of rhinoviruses by ISH and virus isolation on the third day (P less than 0.025) after virus challenge in the group as a whole and in the symptomatic group. These results show that generally rhinovirus detection by ISH compares well with virus isolation and both tests are clearly more sensitive than the neutralization test in detecting evidence of infection. It is concluded that ISH is an interesting new technique that may play an important role in the study of rhinovirus infection and pathogenesis.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Effects of experimentally induced respiratory virus infections and illness on psychomotor performance.

In two studies experimentally induced colds slowed the speed of response in a serial reaction task. Responding was also slower during the incubation period of the illness, which shows that performance on such a task may be used to predict subsequent illness. Volunteers who had no significant clinical illness, but who had a significant rise in IgG following virus challenge, also showed changes in performance. In contrast to the serial reaction task, neither colds nor subclinical infections impaired performance on a detection task.

Common Cold↗
PubMed1983

Clinical aspects on bacterial infections in the upper respiratory tract.

Acute respiratory tract infections represent the major cause of morbidity in younger age groups. Most of these infections involve the upper respiratory tract. The frequency of respiratory tract infections vary not only with age, but also with season of the year and the epidemiological situation. Surveys of the incidence and aetiology of these infections must therefore cover large populations during relatively long periods of time. In the developed countries, the mortality in respiratory tract infections in patients below the age of 60 years is low, while it increases markedly in elderly patients, mainly due to involvement of the lower respiratory tract. Aetiologically, viral infections dominate but bacterial pathogens often cause pharyngitis/tonsillitis, otitis media and sinusitis. In longstanding cough in children, Branhamella catarrhalis has been found to be a pathogen of probably high significance. Other factors increasing the clinical importance of colonisation of the upper respiratory tract with potentially pathogenic bacterial species, are various immune defects, especially reduced IgA production, and granulocytopenia. In the latter case, Gram-negative bacteria seem to be more pathogenic than Gram-positive ones. The clinical differentiation between viral and bacterial upper respiratory tract infections is difficult and sometimes not possible. However, based on the knowledge that acute tracheitis, laryngitis and common cold are normally caused by viral agents, it seems reasonable not to use antibiotics for those patients.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1977

Relationship between Moloney murine leukemia and sarcoma virus RNAs: purification and hybridization map of complementary DNAs from defined regions of Moloney murine sarcoma virus 124.

Complementary DNAs (cDNA's) specific for various regions of the Moloney murine sarcoma virus (MSV) 124 RNA genome were prepared by cross-hybridization techniques. A cDNA specific for the first 1,000 nucleotides adjacent to the RNA 3' end (cDNA 3') was prepared and shown to also be complementary to the 3'-terminal 1,000 nucleotides of a related Moloney murine leukemia virus (MLV) genome. A cDNA complementary to the "MSV-specific" portion of the MSV 124 genome was prepared. This cDNA was shown not to anneal to Moloney MLV RNA and to anneal to a portion of the viral RNA of about 1,500 to 1,800 nucleotides in length, located 1,000 nucleotides from the 3' end of MSV RNA. A cDNA common to the genome of MSV and MLV was also obtained and shown to anneal to the 5'-terminal two-thirds, as well as to the 3'-terminal 1,000 nucleotides, of the MSV RNA genome. This cDNA also annealed to the RNA from MLV and mainly to the 5'-terminal half of the MLV genome. It is concluded that the 6-kilobase Moloney MSV 124 RNA genome has a sequence arrangement that includes (i) a 3' portion of about 1,000 nucleotides, which is also present at the 3' terminus of MLV; (ii) an MSV-specific region, not shared with MLV, which extends between 1,000 and 2,500 nucleotides from the 3' terminus; and (iii) a second "common" region, again shared with MLV, which extends from 2,500 nucleotides to the 5' terminus. This second common region appears to be located in the 5' half of the 10-kilobase MLV genome as well. Experiments in which a large excess of cold MLV cDNA was annealed to (3)H-labeled polyadenylic acid-containing fragments of MSV RNA gave results consistent with this arrangement of the MSV genome.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Respiratory syncytial virus infection in tropical and developing countries.

Little is known about the epidemiology of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in tropical and developing countries; the data currently available have been reviewed. In most studies, RSV was found to be the predominant viral cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRI) in childhood, being responsible for 27-96% of hospitalised cases (mean 65%) in which a virus was found. RSV infection is seasonal in most countries; outbreaks occur most frequently in the cold season in areas with temperate and Mediterranean climates and in the wet season in tropical countries with seasonal rainfall. The situation on islands and in areas of the inner tropics with perennial high rainfall is less clear-cut. The age group mainly affected by RSV in developing countries is children under 6 months of age (mean 39% of hospital patients with RSV). RSV-ALRI is slightly more common in boys than in girls. Very little information is available about the mortality of children infected with RSV, the frequency of bacterial co-infection, or the incidence of further wheezing after RSV. Further studies on RSV should address these questions in more detail. RSV is an important pathogen ill young children in tropical and developing countries and a frequent cause of hospital admission. Prevention of RSV infection by vaccination would have a significant impact on the incidence of ALRI in children in developing countries.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed2005

On the need for, and the delivery of, cross-protective vaccines.

The rhinoviruses that are instrumental in causing about one-third of the outbreaks of the common cold present us with some 100 or so serotypes whose convalescent sera do not cross-neutralise. A similar situation prevails with the organism that causes gonorrhoea. Both the HIV and the protozoan causing malaria are notorious for their ability to evade the immune system by changes to their antigenic profile. Similarly, we face continual changes in the antigenic determinants of the influenza virus. It is clear that we require vaccine for these diseases that provide protection against a wide variety of basic variants. This can be achieved, as was shown by Arvind Kumar, who, in his PhD project, generated monoclonal antibodies to cross-reacting yet neutralising epitopes of a number of rhinoviruses. Such antibodies also neutralised some Coxsackie viruses as well as some of the types of Poliovirus. This demonstration of feasibility will be explored further in my paper with a view to arriving at a general approach to the production of vaccines whose humoral and cellular responses can neutralise a wide cross-section of serotype variants.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

The treatment of rhinovirus infections: progress and potential.

The common cold is an important illness both as a result of the economic impact of this common disease and because of the morbidity associated with the complications of the illness. Recent attempts to develop antiviral treatments for the common cold represent a substantial advance over previous efforts. Formidable barriers remain to be overcome, however, before any of these new products will be proven to be clinically useful. Recent advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of common cold symptoms have provided insights into potential new targets for the treatment of this illness.

3C Viral Proteases↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Inflammatory acute rhinosinusitis].

1. COMMON COLD: A rhinovirus, the causal agent usually found in common cold, stimulates the local abundance of polymorphonuclears resulting from IL8 secretion. Enzymes and free radicals released by these polymorphonuclears explain the subsequent inflammation. 2. TREATMENT: Treatment for viral rhinosinusitis in adults is based on vasoconstrictors, often associated with anti-histamine agents with atropinergic action. The possible contribution of pure atropinergic agents is currently under evaluation. Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID) appear to have no effect and corticosteroids are not indicated. 3. RHINOSINUSOPHARYNGITIS IN CHILDREN: These childhood diseases, which after adaptation disappear spontaneously around the age of 7 to 8 years, result from viruses, distinct from those observed in adults, which have a more pronounced cytolytic and general effect. Proposed treatments are designed to lower the temperature using physical (warm bath, abundant fluids) and medicinal means. Paracetamol is preferred over aspirin because it has less side effects. NSAID have not been found to provide any efficacy. Decongestants are an ideal indication but their use is limited by age. Antibiotics are not warranted, at least for the non-complicated forms. Familial education is indispensable for proper management without antibiotics. 4. ACUTE BACTERIAL RHINOSINUSITIS: Originating from the relatively constant microbial flora in the nasal cavities, acute bacterial rhinosinusitis in France is basically caused by Haemophilus influenzae, beta hemolytic Streptococcus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Branhamella catarrhalis. The proportion of Gram negative germs appears to depend on age and rate of recurrence. There is debate about the impact of viral-bacterial interactions; no definite conclusions can be drawn from current knowledge. 5. BACTERIAL INFLAMMATION IN ACUTE RHINOSINUSITIS: Antibiotic therapy is the first intention treatment for bacterial inflammation caused by acute rhinosinusitis. In case of failure, surgery (puncture or microsurgery as needed) may be indicated. 6. NSAID IN BACTERIAL RHINOSINUSITIS: The contribution of NSAID would be limited due to the unfavorable efficacy-adverse effect ratio. Short courses of corticosteroids are commonly used. Two studies conducted with well-designed methodology, have recently proven the efficacy of coticosteroids in reducing the duration and intensity of spontaneous pain in acute maxillary rhinosinusitis in adults. One of these studies demonstrated a reduction in nasal obstruction. These studies confirm the absence of any notable adverse effect in comparison with placebo. 7. ACUTE RHINOSINUSITIS CAUSED BY DENTAL PROBLEMS: Due to the anatomic disposition (sinusal teeth), the rhinosinusitis is generally unilateral, resulting from paradontal or apical infection. Such cases are exceptional (5% to 10% of all cases of acute sinusitis). 8. CONTAMINATING FLORA IN ACUTE RHINOSINUSITIS: Anaerobic and microaerophilic germs predominate, generally coming from the buccal floral or the edodontoid or periodontoid flora. 9. SURGICAL TREATMENT: Associated with dental care, sinus puncture or meatomy may be required for evacuation of the sinus. Antibiotics directed against a wide variety of aerobic germs (amoxicillin-clavulanic acid or pristinamycin are generally recommended) should be given before and after surgery. The role of NSAID is evaluated in terms of the benefit (pain relief)/adverse effect ratio, which in the present situation can be considered to favor the antalgesic action during or before dental care. 10. THE QUESTION OF SHORT COURSES OF CORTICOSTEROIDS: The contribution of short courses of corticosteroids is assessed in the same manner as for maxillary sinusitis resulting from the nasal flora.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1984

Pharmacokinetics of intranasally applied medication during a cold.

The rate at which interferon is cleared from the nose after local administration was measured in volunteers both before and after challenge with virulent strains of human rhinovirus. Interferon was not cleared more rapidly after virus challenge, and there was no relationship between the amount of nasal secretion produced after challenge, and the rate of interferon clearance. These findings suggest that an inverse relationship between the quantity of a locally applied antirhinovirus drug which is recovered in nasal wash, and clinical and laboratory evidence of rhinovirus infection may be taken as evidence for a beneficial effect of the drug.

Administration, Intranasal↗
PubMed1999

Persistent infection of human oligodendrocytic and neuroglial cell lines by human coronavirus 229E.

Human coronaviruses (HuCV) cause common colds. Previous reports suggest that these infectious agents may be neurotropic in humans, as they are for some mammals. With the long-term aim of providing experimental evidence for the neurotropism of HuCV and the establishment of persistent infections in the nervous system, we have evaluated the susceptibility of various human neural cell lines to acute and persistent infection by HuCV-229E. Viral antigen, infectious virus progeny and viral RNA were monitored during both acute and persistent infections. The astrocytoma cell lines U-87 MG, U-373 MG, and GL-15, as well as neuroblastoma SK-N-SH, neuroglioma H4, and oligodendrocytic MO3.13 cell lines, were all susceptible to an acute infection by HuCV-229E. The CHME-5 immortalized fetal microglial cell line was not susceptible to infection by this virus. The MO3.13 and H4 cell lines also sustained a persistent viral infection, as monitored by detection of viral antigen and infectious virus progeny. Sequencing of the S1 gene from viral RNA after approximately 130 days of infection showed two point mutations, suggesting amino acid changes during persistent infection of MO3.13 cells but none for H4 cells. Thus, persistent in vitro infection did not generate important changes in the S1 portion of the viral spike protein, which was shown for murine coronaviruses to bear hypervariable domains and to interact with cellular receptor. These results are consistent with the potential persistence of HuCV-229E in cells of the human nervous system, such as oligodendrocytes and possibly neurons, and the virus's apparent genomic stability.

Astrocytoma↗
PubMed2006

Chronic cough due to acute bronchitis: ACCP evidence-based clinical practice guidelines.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this review is to present the evidence for the diagnosis and treatment of cough due to acute bronchitis and make recommendations that will be useful for clinical practice. Acute bronchitis is one of the most common diagnoses made by primary care clinicians and emergency department physicians. It is an acute respiratory infection with a normal chest radiograph that is manifested by cough with or without phlegm production that lasts for up to 3 weeks. Respiratory viruses appear to be the most common cause of acute bronchitis; however, the organism responsible is rarely identified in clinical practice because viral cultures and serologic assays are not routinely performed. Fewer than 10% of patients will have a bacterial infection diagnosed as the cause of bronchitis. The diagnosis of acute bronchitis should be made only when there is no clinical or radiographic evidence of pneumonia, and the common cold, acute asthma, or an exacerbation of COPD have been ruled out as the cause of cough. Acute bronchitis is a self-limited respiratory disorder, and when the cough persists for >3 weeks, other diagnoses must be considered. METHODS: Recommendations for this review were obtained from data using a National Library of Medicine (PubMed) search dating back to 1950, which was performed in August 2004. The search was limited to literature published in the English language and human studies, using search terms such as "cough," "acute bronchitis," and "acute viral respiratory infection." RESULTS: Unfortunately, most previous controlled trials guiding the treatment of acute bronchitis have not vigorously differentiated acute bronchitis and the common cold, and also have not distinguished between an acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis and acute asthma as a cause of acute cough. For patients with the putative diagnosis of acute bronchitis, routine treatment with antibiotics is not justified and should not be offered. Antitussive agents are occasionally useful and can be offered as therapy for short-term symptomatic relief of coughing, but there is no role for inhaled bronchodilator or expectorant therapy. Children and adult patients with confirmed and probable whooping cough should receive a macrolide antibiotic and should be isolated for 5 days from the start of treatment; early treatment within the first few weeks will diminish the coughing paroxysms and prevent spread of the disease; the patient is unlikely to respond to treatment beyond this period. CONCLUSION: Acute bronchitis is an acute respiratory infection that is manifested by cough and, at times, sputum production that lasts for no more than 3 weeks. This syndrome should be distinguished from the common cold, an acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, and acute asthma as the cause of acute cough. The widespread use of antibiotics for the treatment of acute bronchitis is not justified, and vigorous efforts to curtail their use should be encouraged.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1996

Mutation of vaccinia virus gene G2R causes suppression of gene A18R ts mutants: implications for control of transcription.

This report provides genetic evidence that two vaccinia virus genes, A18R and G2R, both of which affect the fidelity of viral transcription in vivo, interact with each other or act on a common biochemical pathway. Previous experiments with the antipoxviral drug isatin-beta-thiosemicarbazone suggest that lethal mutation of gene G2R would compensate for mutations in gene A18R. We therefore tested the hypothesis that gene G2R is an extragenic suppressor of A18R mutations. First, we constructed a recombinant which contains both a G2R deletion mutation and an A18R temperature-sensitive mutation and found that this recombinant was viable. Second, we isolated both cold-sensitive and temperature-insensitive phenotypic revertants of A18R temperature-sensitive mutants and found in both cases that the revertants contained G2R mutations. In the case of the cold-sensitive revertants, we were able to prove that the cold-sensitive phenotype mapped to the G2R gene. Combined with the biochemical data on A18R and G2R, these results imply that the A18R and G2R genes interact with each other either directly or indirectly in a fashion which affects the fidelity of intermediate and late viral transcription.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed2006

An experimental model of rhinovirus induced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Acute exacerbations of COPD are a major cause of morbidity, mortality and hospitalisation. Respiratory viruses are associated with the majority of exacerbations but a causal relationship has not been demonstrated and the mechanisms of virus-induced exacerbations are poorly understood. Development of a human experimental model would provide evidence of causation and would greatly facilitate understanding mechanisms, but no such model exists. METHODS: We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of developing an experimental model of rhinovirus induced COPD exacerbations and to assess safety of rhinovirus infection in COPD patients. We carried out a pilot virus dose escalating study to assess the minimum dose of rhinovirus 16 required to induce experimental rhinovirus infection in subjects with COPD (GOLD stage II). Outcomes were assessed by monitoring of upper and lower respiratory tract symptoms, lung function, and virus replication and inflammatory responses in nasal lavage. RESULTS: All 4 subjects developed symptomatic colds with the lowest dose of virus tested, associated with evidence of viral replication and increased pro-inflammatory cytokines in nasal lavage. These were accompanied by significant increases in lower respiratory tract symptoms and reductions in PEF and FEV1. There were no severe exacerbations or other adverse events. CONCLUSION: Low dose experimental rhinovirus infection in patients with COPD induces symptoms and lung function changes typical of an acute exacerbation of COPD, appears safe, and provides preliminary evidence of causation.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Modulation of thymosin alpha 1 and thymosin beta 4 levels and peripheral blood mononuclear cell subsets during experimental rhinovirus colds.

Cellular immune response to localized upper respiratory viral infection was studied in two groups of healthy volunteers infected with an unnumbered rhinovirus serotype (Hanks). In the first group of 18 volunteers, serum levels of thymosin alpha 1 rose on day 5 following rhinovirus challenge. This observation was confirmed in a second group of 20 normal volunteers inoculated with the same rhinovirus strain; there was a slight increase in thymosin alpha 1 levels on day 3 and a significant rise on day 5 (p less than .001). There was also a significant rise in serum thymosin beta 4 levels on day 5 (p less than .001). Serum cortisol rose in parallel with thymosin alpha 1 on day 5 after rhinovirus inoculation, but there was no direct relationship between individual changes in cortisol and thymosin alpha 1 levels. Enumeration of peripheral blood mononuclear cell subpopulations during rhinovirus infection revealed a significant increase in total lymphocytes on day 5 (p less than .01), but not on day 3. The rise in total lymphocyte count was attributable to an increase in T lymphocytes (CD3+) (p less than .05), cytotoxic/suppressor (CD8+) cells (p less than .01) and natural killer (CD16+ cells) (p less than .05). This is the first report of thymic hormone modulation by a virus, and suggests that local rhinovirus infection of the upper respiratory tract has systemic effects and induces cellular immune responses.

Adult↗