A RHINOVIRUS OUTBREAK AMONG RESIDENTS OF A LONG-TERM-CARE FACILITY

Objective: To describe the epidemiology of and clinical findings assoc iated with a rhinovirus outbreak that occurred among institutionalized elderly persons. Design: Retrospective review of medical records and nursing surveillance reports. Setting: A 685-bed, long-term care facil ity for veterans and their spouses. Patients: 33 persons from whom rhi novirus was cultured. Measurements: Throat and nasopharyngeal virus cu lture; review of medical records to determine under-lying diseases, si gns and symptoms of respiratory illness, illness duration, and interve ntions during illness; and review of nursing surveillance reports to d etermine room locations of ill persons. Results: Between 14 August and 2 September 1993, the number of respiratory illnesses increased. Thro at and nasopharyngeal virus cultures were taken from 67 ill residents; 33 cultures yielded rhinovirus, and no other respiratory virus was is olated. Geographic clustering of persons infected with rhinovirus was observed. Of those persons with rhinovirus infections, 100% had upper respiratory symptoms, 34% had gastrointestinal symptoms, 71% had syste mic symptoms, 66% had lower respiratory symptoms (including productive cough), and 52% had new abnormalities on lung auscultation. The 17 pe rsons with rhinovirus infection who had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease had more severe illnesses: Five (29%) required glucocorticoid or bronchodilator therapy for illness-associated bronchospasm; 2 requi red transfer out of the facility; 1 developed a radiographically docum ented infiltrate; and 1 died of respiratory failure. Conclusions: Rhin ovirus may cause epidemic, clinically important respiratory illness in nursing home residents. A large proportion of residents may become il l, and infection may be severe in persons with underlying lung disease .