Lung transplant recipients may be in danger from cold virus

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

The common cold virus can be a danger to lung transplant patients according to two case studies.
It has long been believed that the common cold virus - known clinically as the human rhinovirus - only attacks the upper airways. But a new study on 11 lung transplant patients shows that it may also be found in the lower airways, with potentially disastrous consequences. Over a 19 month period, researchers at the University Hospital of Geneva screened the lung transplant recipients for 13 different respiratory viruses using molecular analysis.

Eight patients had transient infections with the common cold virus and three had a persistent infection. All these three had a relapsing lower respiratory tract infection and two subsequently died with graft failure. Organ recipients are more vulnerable to infection as they must take immunosuppressant drugs. The findings suggest that doctors need to watch out for infection with the common cold virus in lung transplant recipients and maybe consider the use of anti-viral therapy to protect them.

Source
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine December 2006