Species-specific clinical characteristics of human coronavirus infection among otherwise healthy adolescents and adults

Influenza Other Respir Viruses. 2018 Mar;12(2):299-303. doi: 10.1111/irv.12538. Epub 2018 Feb 2.

Abstract

Human coronavirus (HCoV) is a known cause of influenza-like illness (ILI). In a multisite, observational, longitudinal study of ILI among otherwise healthy adolescents and adults, 12% of subjects were PCR-positive for HCoV. The distribution of species was as follows: HCoV-OC43 (34%), HCoV-229E (28%), HCoV-NL63 (22%), and HCoV-HKU1 (16%). We did not observe species-specific differences in the clinical characteristics of HCoV infection, with the exception of HCoV-HKU1, for which the severity of gastrointestinal symptoms trended higher on the fourth day of illness.

Keywords: clinical characteristics; coronavirus; influenza-like illness.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Observational Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Alphacoronavirus / classification
  • Alphacoronavirus / genetics
  • Alphacoronavirus / isolation & purification*
  • Alphacoronavirus / pathogenicity
  • Betacoronavirus / classification
  • Betacoronavirus / genetics
  • Betacoronavirus / isolation & purification*
  • Betacoronavirus / pathogenicity
  • Coronavirus Infections / pathology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology*
  • Female
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases / pathology
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases / virology
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • RNA, Viral / genetics
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / complications
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / pathology*
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / virology*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • RNA, Viral