Current management of parainfuenza pneumonitis in immunocompromised patients: A review

Abstract

Parainfuenza viruses (PIV) are common respiratory viruses that belong to the Paramyxoviridae family. PIV infection can lead to a wide variety of clinical syndromes ranging from mild upper respiratory illness to severe pneumonia. Severe disease can be seen in elderly or chronically ill persons and may be fatal in persons with compromised immune systems, particularly children with severe combined immunodefciency disease syndrome and hemato- pathic stem cell transplant recipients. At present, there are no licensed antiviral agents for the treatment of PIV infection. Aerosolized or systemic ribavirin in combination with intravenous gamma globulin has been reported in small, uncontrolled series and case reports of immuno- compromised patients. A number of agents show antiviral activity in vitro and in animals, but none are currently approved for human use. © 2012 Falsey, publisher and licensee Dove Medical Press Ltd.