New Respiratory Viruses and the Elderly

Jartti, Laura; Langen, Henriikka; Söderlund-Venermo, Maria; Vuorinen, Tytti; Ruuskanen, Olli; Jartti, Tuomas

The new respiratory viruses or viral strains include influenza A virus H5N1 and H1N1, MPV, SARS-, NL63and HKU1-CoV, HBoV, HRV-C and -D and the possible respiratory pathogens, KI-and, WU-PyV and TTV [13, 14, [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] . All these new viruses are distributed throughout the globe and affect people of all ages, but data on these viruses and the elderly are scarce. These new viral infections can be diagnosed by sensitive PCR methods. The viruses may be detectable in the airways for varying periods of time also after the acute phase and this leads to a diagnosis of several concomitant viruses. The classical predisposing factors to viral infections include advanced age, chronic illnesses and poor immune responses. The elderly often have partial immunity and chronic illnesses; these circumstances modify their responses to viruses and thus respiratory viral infections may manifest themselves as atypical symptoms or as exacerbation of chronic illnesses. Serious outbreaks have been reported in long-term care facilities. Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent serious disease, but it is only available for the influenza virus. Virus-specific treatment is also available only for the influenza virus. Early identification of a viral pathogen through improved viral diagnostics is crucial for successful treatment of viral illnesses. Preventive measures are also important, such as vaccinations, hand-washing and isolation of the affected individuals in hospitals and long-term care facilities. The ultimate clinical significance of the new respiratory viruses is still poorly unknown in the elderly population but probably these infections are greatly underestimated.