Gene expression signatures of symptomatic respiratory viral infection in adults

Diagnosis of acute respiratory viral infection is currentlybased on clinical symptoms and pathogen detection. Use of host peripheral blood gene expression data to classify individuals with viral respiratory infection represents a novel means of infection diagnosis. We used microarrays to capture peripheral blood gene expression at baseline and time of peak symptoms in healthy volunteers infected intranasally with influenza A H3N2, respiratory syncytial virus or rhinovirus. We determined groups of coexpressed genes that accurately classified symptomatic versus asymptomatic individuals. We experimentally inoculated healthy volunteers with intranasal influenza, respiratory syncytial virus or rhinovirus. Symptoms were documented and peripheral blood samples drawn into PAXgene tubes for RNA isolation.