Characteristics of respiratory viral infections during influenza season in Canadian Hutterite Communities

OBJECTIVES: To determined the pathogen-specific incidence of respiratory virus infection in Hutterite communities occurring over the 2008-2009 influenza season and assess temporal characteristics of respiratory illness related to infection. METHODS: 3273 participants community members enrolled in a cluster randomized trial of influenza vaccine were studied. RESULTS: One hundred forty-nine participants had laboratory-confirmed influenza, and 595 had at least one episode of laboratory-confirmed respiratory viral infection other than influenza. Entero/rhinovirus had the highest incidence among children<5 years. CONCLUSIONS: A decline in the incidence of infections with age was observed for influenza as well as for most other respiratory viruses.