Abstract
Background
Rhinovirus (RV) is a common cause of respiratory illness in all people, including those experiencing homelessness. RV epidemiology in homeless shelters is unknown.
Methods
We analyzed data from a cross-sectional homeless shelter study in King County, Washington, October 2019-May 2021. Shelter residents or guardians aged ≥3 months reporting acute respiratory illness completed questionnaires and submitted nasal swabs. After April 1, 2020, enrollment expanded to residents and staff regardless of symptoms. Samples were tested by multiplex RT-PCR for respiratory viruses. A subset of RV-positive samples was sequenced.
Results
There were 1,066 RV-positive samples with RV present every month of the study period. RV was the most common virus before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (43% and 77% of virus-positive samples, respectively). Participants from family shelters had the highest prevalence of RV. Among 131 sequenced samples, 33 RV serotypes were identified with each serotype detected for ≤4 months.
Conclusions
RV infections persisted through community mitigation measures and was most prevalent in shelters housing families. Sequencing showed a diversity of circulating RV serotypes each detected over short periods of time. Community-based surveillance in congregate settings is important to characterize respiratory viral infections during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keywords: Rhinovirus, respiratory viral infection, respiratory pathogen, homeless shelter, people experiencing homelessness, congregate setting, COVID-19 pandemic, epidemiology, genomic analysis
Contributor Information
Eric J Chow, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle (98195), Washington, USA.
Amanda M Casto, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle (98195), Washington, USA; Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle (98109), Washington, USA.
Pavitra Roychoudhury, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle (98109), Washington, USA; Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle (98195), Washington, USA.
Peter D Han, Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, Seattle (98195), Washington, USA; Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle (98195), Washington, USA.
Hong Xie, Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle (98195), Washington, USA.
Brian Pfau, Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, Seattle (98195), Washington, USA; Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle (98195), Washington, USA.
Tien V Nguyen, Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle (98195), Washington, USA.
Jaydee Sereewit, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle (98195), Washington, USA.
Julia H Rogers, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle (98195), Washington, USA; Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle (98195), Washington, USA.
Sarah N Cox, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle (98195), Washington, USA; Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle (98195), Washington, USA.
Caitlin R Wolf, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle (98195), Washington, USA.
Melissa A Rolfes, Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta (30333), Georgia, USA.
Emily Mosites, Office of the Deputy Director for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta (30333), Georgia, USA.
Timothy M Uyeki, Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta (30333), Georgia, USA.
Alexander L Greninger, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle (98109), Washington, USA; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle (98195), Washington, USA.
James P Hughes, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle (98109), Washington, USA; Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle (98105), Washington, USA.
M Mia Shim, Public Health – Seattle & King County, Seattle (98104), Washington, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle (98195), Washington, USA.
Nancy Sugg, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle (98195), Washington, USA.
Jeffrey S Duchin, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle (98195), Washington, USA; Public Health – Seattle & King County, Seattle (98104), Washington, USA.
Lea M Starita, Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, Seattle (98195), Washington, USA; Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle (98195), Washington, USA.
Janet A Englund, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle (98105), Washington, USA.
Helen Y Chu, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle (98195), Washington, USA.
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