Formatted for Journal of Clinical Virology

BackgroundHuman rhinovirus (HRV) infections are highly prevalent, genetically diverse, and associated with both mild upper respiratory tract and more severe lower tract illnesses (LRTI).ObjectiveTo characterize the molecular epidemiology of HRV infections in young children seeking acute medical care.Study designNasal swabs collected from symptomatic children< 3 years of age receiving care in the Emergency and Urgent Care Departments at Seattle Children's Hospital were analyzed by a rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system (FilmArray®) for multiple viruses including HRV/enterovirus. HRV-positive results were confirmed by laboratory-developed real-time reverse transcription PCR (LD-PCR). Clinical data were collected by chart review. A subset of samples was selected for sequencing using the 5’noncoding region. Associations between LRTI and HRV species and genotypes were estimated …