The role of respiratory viruses (RVs) in the etiology of pneumonia in liver disease patients with cirrhosis is undervalued. A study assessed the spectrum of RVs in cirrhotic patients with pneumonia who were admitted in critical care units (CCUs). Their impact on the clinical outcome of patients with cirrhosis was also studied.

This was a prospective study with consecutive cirrhotic patients with pneumonia. Bronchoalveolar lavage or throat/nasal swab was collected in viral transport medium. Overall, 135 cirrhotic patients were included, and etiology of pneumonia, whether viral and bacterial, was ascertained.

RVs were identified in 30 (22.2%) cirrhotic patients and virus-bacteria coinfection was found in 16 (11.8%) patients. The most common virus was rhinovirus, found in 9 (30%) patients. Cirrhotic patients with RV infection had significantly greater mortality compared to those with no RV infection (25 [83.3%] and 11 [12.3%], respectively).

Investigators concluded that RVs in cirrhotic patients with pneumonia are linked with a poor clinical outcome.

Source: Bajpai V, Gupta E, Mitra LG, et al. Spectrum of respiratory viral infections in liver disease patients with cirrhosis admitted in critical care unit. J Lab Physicians. 2019 Oct-Dec;11(4):356-360.