[Respiratory syncytial virus infection in chronic bronchitis patients]

Two groups of patients with acute respiratory disease (ARD) were examined: 57 (the 1st group) had chronic bronchitis, 265 patients (the 2nd group) had no previous history of chronic bronchitis. The investigation was performed using serological and immunofluorescent methods and was repeated in the course of 12-18 months. Respiratory syncytial (RS) viral infection was diagnosed significantly more frequently in the 1st group whereas the frequency of influenza, parainfluenza and adenoviral infection in both groups was the same. Mixed RS-viral infection in these patients was more common. In 3 patients RS-viral infection was diagnosed each time in new ARD in parallel with influenza and other viral infections which was indicative of RS-virus persistence in the body.