Respiratory Viral Detection in the Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Population

David Shapiro, Maria Lopez-Mar

Abstract

Respiratory viral infections (RVI) are a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients. We examined clinical characteristics and respiratory viral detection in asymptomatic pediatric HSCT pre-transplant patients and symptomatic post-transplant patients. Coxsackie/echovirus (most common virus detected pre and post-transplant), rhinovirus, and coronavirus were detected pre-transplant and at the first post-transplant event suggesting persistent detection. None of the clinical characteristics examined were associated with viral detection and there was no increase in mortality noted with asymptomatic viral detection.