Respiratory syncytial virus epidemic

Abstract

Summary Thirty-nine positive cases of Respiratory Syncytial Virus infection were diagnosed in patients in the Infectious Diseases Unit, Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham (Near Hull), E. Yorkshire, during January to March 1965. There were 23 positive tissue-cultures (33 per cent.) out of a total of 70 throat-swabs or garglings received. Twelve of these 23 positive cultures were from babies under twelve months of age. Three were from adults aged 26, 29, and 76 years, none of whom showed a rise in serum antibody level. Sixteen cases were diagnosed by serology only and fourteen of these were babies under 16 months of age. One of these was aged 2 months and 2 were aged 4 months. The other two were adults, aged 28 and 63 years. Clinically the manifestations were protean but most of them had bronchopneumonia and bronchiolitis. Respiratory distress in the babies was common. There were no deaths. Respiratory Syncytial Virus infections chiefly occur in children under one year of age. Although repeat infections do occur, most children have respiratory syncytial antibody by the fourth year of life. These factors tend to produce annual epidemics in the susceptible younger age-group, with non-epidemic occurrence among older persons. The proportion of Respiratory Syncytial Virus infection causing lower respiratory tract illness is 11 to 33 per cent. of all cases of acute respiratory illness in children, and so the Respiratory Syncytial Virus is the most important single virus identified to date as a cause of acute respiratory disease in children.