Cameron Lee, “Medically-Attended Respiratory Infections in High-Risk Adults in a Rural Community”
Mentor: Daniel Gervini, Mathematical Sciences, Letters & Science (College of)
Poster #110
The clinical similarity of respiratory viruses and the lack of routine laboratory testing create knowledge gaps regarding their burden in adults. This study aimed to understand the symptoms and severe outcomes of medically-attended respiratory infections caused by non-influenza, non-RSV winter respiratory pathogens in adults with underlying high-risk conditions. We conducted an observational study of medically-attended acute respiratory infections (MAARI) among high-risk adults. Data from re-tested respiratory specimens and electronic health records of participants in a test-negative influenza vaccine effectiveness (FluVE) study (2015-2020) were analyzed. Univariate analyses identified factors associated with respiratory pathogens and severe outcomes; multivariable logistic regression assessed the link between high-risk conditions and specific pathogens. Among 3,575 participants with complete data, our sample population comprised of 65% female participants with 30% of the population aged 65 years and older. Primary analyses found no statistically significant associations between most sociodemographic characteristics and non-influenza, non-RSV respiratory pathogens. However, high-risk conditions were associated with certain pathogens: those infected with seasonal coronavirus were more likely to have chronic respiratory disease (p < 0.01) and those infected with adenovirus were more likely to have cardiovascular disease (p < 0.01) than other pathogens . There were no significant relationships between sociodemographic characteristics or severe illness outcomes and infection with non-influenza, non-RSV respiratory pathogens. Future research should explore relationships between underlying disease and respiratory infection outcomes.