For adults admitted to the hospital, the burden of noninfluenza respiratory virus (NIRV) infection is considerable, and associated outcomes may be as severe as those seen with influenza, according to a study in CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association. Researchers analyzed pooled patient data from two hospitalbased respiratory virus surveillance cohorts in two regions of Canada during the 2015/2016, 2016/2017, and 2017/2018 seasons. Data were included for 2,119 patients aged 18 and older who were hospitalized for influenza-like illness or pneumonia. Of participants, 54.6% had NIRV infections, including 14.9%, 12.9%, and 8.2% with human rhinovirus/enterovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, and human coronavirus, respectively; 45.4% had influenza. Patients with NIRVs were younger (mean age, 66.4) and more often had immunocompromising conditions (30.3%); these patients also more often had a delay in diagnosis (median 4.0 days). Of the NIRV infections, 14.6% were acquired in the hospital. For patients with NIRV infection and those with influenza, admission to the intensive care unit, hospital length of stay, 30-day mortality, and the ordinal outcomes were similar. Worse outcomes were seen in association with age older than 60, being in an immunocompromised state, and having a hospital-acquired viral infection. Per acute care admission, the estimated median cost was $6,000.
