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Neonatal nosocomial respiratory infection with coronavirus: a prospective study in a neonatal intensive care unit
Author(s) -
Sizun J,
Soupre D,
Legrand MC,
Giroux JD,
Rubio S,
Cauvin JM,
Chastel C,
Mix D,
Parscau L de
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1995.tb13710.x
Subject(s) - medicine , gestational age , incidence (geometry) , neonatal intensive care unit , pediatrics , bronchiolitis , hypoxemia , prospective cohort study , mechanical ventilation , respiratory system , pregnancy , genetics , physics , optics , biology
The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the incidence of viral respiratory infection in hospitalized premature newborn infants and to assess the role of coronaviruses. All hospitalized premature infants with a gestational age less than or equal to 32 weeks were included. Tracheal or nasopharyngal specimens were studied by immunofluorescence for coronaviruses, respiratory syncytial virus, adenoviruses, influenza and parainfluenza viruses. Forty premature infants were included; 13 samples were positive in 10 newborns (coronaviruses n = 10; influenza 1 n = 2; adenovirus n = 1). None was positive at admission. All premature infants infected with coronaviruses had symptoms of bradycardia, apnea, hypoxemia, fever or abdominal distension. Chest X‐ray revealed diffuse infiltrates in two cases. However, no significant difference was observed between infected and non‐infected premature infants for gestational age, birth weight, duration of ventilation, age at discharge, incidence of apnea or bradycardia. Nosocomial respiratory tract infection with coronaviruses appears to be frequent. The clinical consequences should be evaluated in a larger population.