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Contribution of rhinoviruses to respiratory viral infections in childhood: A prospective study in a mainly hospitalized infant population
Author(s) -
Kellner Gabriele,
PopowKraupp Therese,
Kundi Michael,
Binder Christa,
Wallner H.,
Kunz Christian
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.1890250409
Subject(s) - medicine , respiratory system , virus , respiratory tract infections , population , incidence (geometry) , rhinovirus , respiratory tract , respiratory disease , virology , immunology , pediatrics , lung , physics , environmental health , optics
A prospective study was carried out to investigate the contribution of rhinoviruses to respiratory viral infections in children and to investigate the influence of age, passive smoking, and educational level of the head of the family on the clinical course of viral respiratory disease. Nasopharyngeal aspirates from 519 infants (90.8% inpatients, 9.2 % outpatients) were screened for the presence of rhinoviruses, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenoviruses, parainfluenza virus types 1, 2, 3, influenza virus types A and B, and enteroviruses by tissue culture isolation procedure, enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, and/or indirect immunofluorescence method. The total detection rate was 42.4%. The rate decreased with increasing age. Higher detection rates were observed in specimens from children suffering from a more severe respiratory disease, and the highest rate of virus‐positive specimens was found in those aged 0–6 months. Second to RSV (23.1%), rhinoviruses were the most frequently recovered pathogens found in 11.8% of children with acute respiratory tract infections (RTI). In the age group 0–6 months the majority of severe respiratory illnesses was due to RSV. In infants aged 6 months to 1 year a decrease in the number of severe illnesses caused by RSV and an increase in the number of children suffering from a more severe RTI caused by rhinoviruses was found. With the possible exception of one group of children infected with rhinoviruses, a negative effect of passive smoking on the incidence and severity of viral RTI could not be established. A beneficial effect of breast feeding on the severity of viral RTI could not be definitely demonstrated.