Zambon M C, Stockton J D, Clewley J P, Fleming D M
Virus Reference Division, PHLS Central Public Health Laboratory, 61 Colindale Avenue, NW9 5HT, London, UK.
Lancet. 2001 Oct 27;358(9291):1410-6. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(01)06528-x.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an important cause of lower-respiratory-tract infection in children and elderly people, but its effect in other age-groups is uncertain. We did a community-based observational study of RSV infection in community-dwelling individuals of all ages who presented to general practices in the UK with influenza-like illnesses during three successive winters (1995-96, 1996-97, and 1997-98).
Nasopharyngeal swabs routinely submitted for virological surveillance were examined by multiplex reverse transcription PCR for influenza A and B viruses and RSV A and B, and findings were related to the clinical incidence of influenza-like illness and acute bronchitis at that time. RSV strains identified were compared with those obtained from hospital admissions.
480 RSV and 709 influenza viruses were identified from a total of 2226 swabs submitted. Both types of virus were found in all age-groups for between 12 and 20 weeks in each winter. RSV A accounted for 60% of RSV detections. Similar strains of RSV were present in hospital and community patients within the same year, but there were different lineages each year.
In individuals diagnosed with influenza-like illness, there is a substantial potential for confusion between illnesses caused by influenza and those caused by RSV. The burden of illness attributable to each needs to be clarified to define optimum management routines.
呼吸道合胞病毒（RSV）是引起儿童和老年人下呼吸道感染的重要病因，但在其他年龄组人群中的影响尚不确定。我们开展了一项基于社区的观察性研究，研究对象为在英国连续三个冬季（1995 - 1996年、1996 - 1997年和1997 - 1998年）因流感样疾病前往全科诊所就诊的各年龄段社区居民中的RSV感染情况。
对常规提交用于病毒学监测的鼻咽拭子进行多重逆转录聚合酶链反应检测，以检测甲型和乙型流感病毒以及A和B型RSV，并将检测结果与当时流感样疾病和急性支气管炎的临床发病率相关联。将鉴定出的RSV毒株与从医院入院患者中获得的毒株进行比较。
从总共提交的2226份拭子中鉴定出480株RSV和709株流感病毒。在每个冬季的12至20周内，所有年龄组均发现了这两种病毒。检测到的RSV中，A型占60%。同年，医院患者和社区患者体内存在相似的RSV毒株，但每年的谱系不同。
在被诊断为流感样疾病的个体中，由流感引起的疾病和由RSV引起的疾病很可能相互混淆。需要明确每种疾病的负担，以确定最佳的管理方案。
