An outbreak of respiratory syncytial virus pneumonia in a nursing home for the elderly

Abstract

An outbreak of pneumonia and febrile respiratory illness took place in a Los Angeles County nursing home for the elderly in February and March of 1979. Forty of 101 (40%) residents were affected. Twenty-two (55%) had pneumonia and eight (20%) died. The outbreak extended over a period of 6 weeks. Serological evidence implicated respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as the causative agent. Three patients had fourfold or greater rises in the titre of antibody to RSV, one had high titres in paired samples of serum, while nine had a titre of greater than or equal to 64 in a single convalescent sample. RSV may be a more important cause of lower respiratory illness among the elderly in residential institutions than previously recognised.