Abstract
The Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the most important viral pathogens, causing epidemics of acute respiratory infection (ARI), especially bronchiolitis and pneumonia, in children worldwide. To investigate the RSV burden in Laos, we conducted a one-year study in children <5 years old admitted to Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane Capital, to describe clinical and epidemiological characteristics and predictive factors for severity of RSV-associated ARI. Pooled nasal and throat swabs were tested using multiplex real-time PCR for 33 respiratory pathogens (FTD® kit). A total of 383 patients were included, 277 (72.3%) of whom presented with pneumonia. 377 (98.4%) patients were positive for at least one microorganism, of which RSV was the most common virus (41.0%), with a peak observed between June and September, corresponding to the rainy season. Most RSV inpatients had pneumonia (84.1%), of whom 35% had severe pneumonia. Children <3-months old were a high-risk group for severe pneumonia, independently of RSV infection. Our study suggests that RSV infection is frequent in Laos and commonly associated with pneumonia in hospitalized young children. Further investigations are required to provide a better overall view of the Lao nationwide epidemiology and public health burden of RSV infection over time.
Highlights
In 2012, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the Battle against Respiratory Viruses (BRaVe) initiative in response to increasing evidence that viruses play an important role in acute respiratory infections (ARI)
All fatalities were diagnosed with severe pneumonia according to the WHO criteria
We report for the first time the epidemiological and clinical features of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in ARI patients in Laos
Summary
In 2012, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the Battle against Respiratory Viruses (BRaVe) initiative in response to increasing evidence that viruses play an important role in acute respiratory infections (ARI). WHO emphasized the need to prioritize research to gain a better understanding of the epidemiology, pathogenesis, prevention and clinical management of respiratory virus infections across different populations and resource settings[1]. Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the most important respiratory viral pathogens in young children, frequently causing bronchiolitis and pneumonia[7]. Nair et al estimated that, in 2005, 33.8 million new episodes of RSV-associated Acute Lower Respiratory tract Infection (ALRI) occurred worldwide in children younger than 5 years old, with at least 3.4 million episodes necessitating hospitalization, and 66,000 to 199,000 deaths, 99% of which occurred in developing countries[5]. The importance of RSV-associated ALRI remains underestimated in many developing countries, where virology data are often not available and possibly hidden by bacterial pathogens, especially Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae[8]. For successful prevention of RSV infection, a prophylactic vaccine approach would be the logistically easiest approach if a safe and effective RSV vaccine was to become available, but epidemiological data are needed to plan implementation of a vaccine campaign
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
