Original article
Viral infections in patients with an acute exacerbation of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resinv.2013.07.005Get rights and content

Abstract

Background

Patients with slowly progressive idiopathic interstitial pneumonia, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, often deteriorate, thus suggesting that the clinical course may be unpredictable. Such episodes are termed acute exacerbation of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia. The etiology of an acute exacerbation of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia is unknown. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that an acute exacerbation of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia is induced by respiratory viral infections.

Methods

Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid obtained from patients with an acute exacerbation of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia was tested for viral nucleic acid using polymerase chain reaction.

Results

Only 1 of the 14 patients with an acute exacerbation of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia exhibited evidence of respiratory syncytial virus B, and 2 patients exhibited evidence of cytomegalovirus. Seven patients fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Conclusions

Most cases with an acute exacerbation of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia are not caused by a viral infection.

Abbreviations

IIP
idiopathic interstitial pneumonia
IPF
interstitial pulmonary fibrosis
BAL
bronchoalveolar lavage
Sd
standard deviation
BALF
bronchoalveolar lavage fluid
PCR
polymerase chain reaction
DNA
deoxyribonucleic acid
RNA
ribonucleic acid
RT
reverse transcriptase
CMV
cytomegalovirus
IL
interleukin

Keywords

Idiopathic interstitial pneumonia
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Acute exacerbation
Viral infection

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