Infectious Pathogens in Acute Respiratory Illness in Adults and Elderly

Blood samples will be collected from all patients at enrolment, at follow-up visits, at exacerbation visits, and during the final visit.

Sputum will be collected from all patients at enrolment, at monthly follow-up visits, at exacerbation visits, and during the final visit. Sputum will be obtained by spontaneous expectoration or induced by stimulation according to standard methods.

Nasopharyngeal swabs will be collected from all patients at enrolment and from a subcohort of 30 patients at monthly follow-up visits and at exacerbation visits during the first year.

Urine samples will be taken at enrolment and exacerbation visits from all subjects and from the same subcohort of 30 patients providing nasopharyngeal swabs, at monthly follow-up visits during the first year.

Breath samples will be collected from all patients at enrolment, at follow-up visits (monthly), at exacerbation visits, and during the final visit.

Patient interview, diary cards review and questionnaires completion

Urine pregnancy test, chest CT-scan, lung function testing and 6-min walk test