RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Viral infection in community-acquired pneumonia: a systematic review and meta-analysis JF European Respiratory Review JO EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY REVIEW FD European Respiratory Society SP 178 OP 188 DO 10.1183/16000617.0076-2015 VO 25 IS 140 A1 Michael Burk A1 Karim El-Kersh A1 Mohamed Saad A1 Timothy Wiemken A1 Julio Ramirez A1 Rodrigo Cavallazzi YR 2016 UL http://err.ersjournals.com/content/25/140/178.abstract AB The advent of PCR has improved the identification of viruses in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Several studies have used PCR to establish the importance of viruses in the aetiology of CAP.We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the studies that reported the proportion of viral infection detected via PCR in patients with CAP. We excluded studies with paediatric populations. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with viral infection. The secondary outcome was short-term mortality.Our review included 31 studies. Most obtained PCR via nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swab. The pooled proportion of patients with viral infection was 24.5% (95% CI 21.5–27.5%). In studies that obtained lower respiratory samples in >50% of patients, the proportion was 44.2% (95% CI 35.1–53.3%). The odds of death were higher in patients with dual bacterial and viral infection (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.32–3.31).Viral infection is present in a high proportion of patients with CAP. The true proportion of viral infection is probably underestimated because of negative test results from nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swab PCR. There is increased mortality in patients with dual bacterial and viral infection.Viral infection is present in a high proportion of patients with community-acquired pneumonia http://ow.ly/X03pK