Clinical Manifestations of Respiratory Viruses in Hospitalized Children with Acute Viral Lower Respiratory Tract Infections from 2010 to 2011 in Busan and Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea

Abstract

Purpose:This study was performed to investigate the epidemiologic and clinical features of respiratory viruses in children with acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRTI) in Busan and Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea Methods:From May 2010 to April 2011, we tested nasopharyngeal aspiration specimens in 1,520 hospitalized children with ALRTI with multiplex real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT- PCR) to identify 7 kinds of common pathogens (adenovirus (ADV), influenza virus type A (influ A), influenza virus type B (influ B), human metapneumovirus (hMPV), parainfluenza virus (PIV), human rhinovirus (hRV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)). We analyzed positive rates and clinical features by retrospective review of the chart. Results:Virus agents were isolated from 72.5% of cases. The identified pathogens were RSV, 35.5%; hRV, 25.6%; PIV, 13.8%; ADV, 12.8%; hMPV, 7.1%; influ A, 5.0%; and influ B, 0.3%. The major period of viral ALRTI was the first year of life. Clinical diagnoses of viral ALRTI were pneu- monia, 52.3%; bronchiolitis, 21.2%; tracheobronchitis, 1.0%; croup, 10.8%; and asthma, 8.8%. The most frequent case of pneumonia and bronchiolitis was RSV. Croup was frequently caused by PIV. The number of hMPV infections peaked between April and June and were primarily caused due to pneumonia. Conclusion:Although this study was confined to one year, this study described the features of ALRTI associated with 7 respiratory viruses in children in Busan and Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea. Additional investigations are required to define the role of respiratory viruses in children with ALRTI in this area. (Pediatr Allergy Respir Dis(Korea) 2012;22:265-272)