Key result
Enterovirus D68 infection in adults presenting to the emergency department with acute respiratory infections resulted in similar hospitalization rates (11% vs 7%) and overall disease severity compared to other enterovirus/rhinovirus infections.
Why the study?
Enterovirus D68 is mainly studied in children, leaving limited data regarding its clinical presentation in adults.
Does Enterovirus D68 infection present differently or with greater severity compared to other enterovirus/rhinovirus infections in adults with acute respiratory infections?
Observational (n=130)
Yes
Does Enterovirus D68 infection present differently or with greater severity compared to other enterovirus/rhinovirus infections in adults with acute respiratory infections?
Absolute Event Rate: 11% vs 7%
p-value: p=0.64
In adults with acute respiratory infections, EV-D68 presents with more frequent respiratory symptoms compared to other EV/RV infections, though overall disease severity and hospitalization rates are similar.
Should not yet change practice in adult acute respiratory infections; leaves open confirmatory studies of EV-D68 presentation.
Objectives: Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is mainly studied in children, while data in adults are limited. We described the clinical presentation of EV-D68 in adults, compared with other enterovirus/rhinovirus (EV/RV) infections. Methods: We used clinical and laboratory data from 1143 adults visiting four emergency departments in Quebec, Canada, for acute respiratory infections (February 2022 to March 2023). We analyzed nasopharyngeal swabs using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction; positive EV/RV samples were further tested with EV-D68-specific polymerase chain reaction assays. We calculated the Pandemic Medical Early Warning Score (PMEWS) to assess severity. Results: = 0.02) and tended to have more underlying chronic respiratory diseases (26% vs 20%) and respiratory symptoms (e.g., dyspnea: 84% vs 75%; wheezing: 63% vs 44%; and chest pain: 63% vs 49%), although these differences were not statistically significant. PMEWS, hospitalizations, and median time spent in the emergency department did not differ significantly between the EV-D68 and the other EV/RV group. Conclusions: Respiratory symptoms tended to be more common among participants with EV-D68 than those with other EV/RV, although disease severity was similar. Larger studies are needed to better characterize EV-D68 infections in adults.
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Mallet et al. (2025) conducted an observational in Acute respiratory infections (n=130). Enterovirus D68 infection vs. Other enterovirus/rhinovirus infections was evaluated on Hospitalization (p=0.64). Enterovirus D68 infection in adults presenting to the emergency department with acute respiratory infections resulted in similar hospitalization rates (11% vs 7%) and overall disease severity compared to other enterovirus/rhinovirus infections.
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