PATHOGENESIS OF LOWER RESPIRATORY-TRACT SYMPTOMS IN EXPERIMENTAL RHINOVIRUS INFECTION

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Abstract
To investigate the pathogenesis of lower respiratory tract symptoms during rhinovirus infection, 19 healthy young adult volunteers were exposed to a currently unnumbered rhinovirus strain (HH). Spirometry and bronchoprovocation with histamine sulfate were performed prior to and on days 4, 5 and 21 after exposure to the virus. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy for visualization and culture of the tracheobronchial mucosa was done on day 4 or day 5. Of 19 volunteers, 14 were infected with rhinovirus; 9 of the 14 had clinical illness. Rhinovirus was isolated from the bronchial brush specimens in 5 of the 13 infected volunteers bronchoscoped, all of whom had clinical illness. Rhinovirus was not isolated at bronchoscopy from any of the 5 infected volunteers without clinical illness (P = 0.025, Fischer''s exact test). Spirometry and histamine bronchoprovocation were unchanged during experimental rhinovirus infection. Rhinovirus may invade the lower respiratory tract in symptomatic infections, and thereby cause lower respiratory tract symptoms.