THE VIRUS WATCH PROGRAM: A CONTINUING SURVEILLANCE OF VIRAL INFECTIONS IN METROPOLITAN NEW YORK FAMILIES

• Published in: American journal of epidemiology 1969-09, Vol.90 (3), p.244-254
• Main Authors: KETLER, ALBERT, HALL, CARRIE E., FOX, JOHN P., ELVEBACK, LILA, COONEY, MARION K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: diseases; excretion; Infectivity; pathogenicity; respiratory tract infections; rhinovirus infections; spread; virus
• ISSN: 0002-9262; 1476-6256
• DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a121067

Ketler, A., C. E. Hall, J. P. Fox (Univ. of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Wash. 98105), L Elveback and M. K. Cooney. The virus watch program: A continuing surveillance of viral infections in metropolitan New York families. VIII. Rhinovirus infections: Observations of virus excretion, intrafamilial spread and clinical response. Amer. J. Epid., 1969, 90: 244–254.—Surveillance of VW families for rhinovirus infection and related disease was maintained for 18 months. Special intensive surveillance (3 specimens per week) was conducted for varying periods in selected families and in groups of young school children and of medical students. The foregoing produced 209 isolates from 172 infections. Although serotyping is incomplete and serology not yet done, preliminary analysis of the data has yielded interesting findings. 1) Virus recovery from patients with rhinovirus-related illness was optimal during the first 5 days of illness (82% isolation rate). 2) In rhinovirus-associated family episodes of illness, 88% of onsets clustered within the first 6 days. This strongly suggests their common rhinovirus etiology despite failure to isolate virus in 44% of cases. 3) Within invaded households the attack rate was 32% based on virus excretion and 53% if all related illness is included. The rate varied inversely with age, reaching 82% under age 2. This indicates a high basic infectivity for rhinoviruses. 4) Maximum pathogenidty was the same in VW families and the intensive surveillance groups (78%) and not related to age. 5) Subclinical infections were characterized by brief excretion and restricted spread of virus.