Meli Yusanti, Oea Khairsyaf, Irvan Medison

Abstract
Background : Viral is one of infectious organism in community acquired pneumonia (CAP), however it can’t be detected by conventional microbiological test. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test has ability to identify viral on naso-oropharingeal swab in patient with CAP.
Methods : It is a prospective cross sectional study. We enrolled all patients with CAP who were hospitalized in pulmonary ward from November 2011 to May 2012 and performed PCR test on naso-oropharingeal swab to identify viral. We adjusted association between clinical appearance and viral positive in PCR.
Results : Fifty four patients were eligible to this study. Viral was positive on PCR test in eleven patients (20.4%). Co-infection with bacteria was found in ten patients (18.5%). Exacerbation of asthma was the most common comorbid in our patient (36.4%). There was association between sputum characteristic and viral co-infection (p=0.046). There were no association between PSI score and length of stay in hospital with viral co-infection (p=0.74 and p=0.650; respectively).
Conclusion : PCR applied on naso-oropharingeal swab sample appear to be a sensitive diagnostic test to identify viral in patient with CAP. Sputum characteristic had significant association with viral infection. (J Respir Indo. 2013; 33:110-6)

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