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Respiratory virus detection during hospitalisation for lower respiratory tract infection in children under 2 years in South Auckland, New Zealand
Author(s) -
Trenholme Adrian A,
Best Emma J,
Vogel Alison M,
Stewart Joanna M,
Miller Charissa J,
Len Diana R
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/jpc.13529
Subject(s) - medicine , virus , respiratory system , population , respiratory tract infections , epidemiology , intensive care unit , lower respiratory tract infection , pediatrics , pneumonia , intensive care , respiratory tract , virology , intensive care medicine , environmental health
Aim To describe respiratory virus detection in children under 2 years of age in a population admitted with lower respiratory infection and to assess correlation with measures of severity. Methods Nasopharyngeal aspirates from infants admitted with lower respiratory tract infection ( n = 1645) over a 3‐year time period were tested by polymerase chain reaction. We collected epidemiological and clinical data on all children. We assessed the correlation of presence of virus with length of hospital stay, intensive care admission and consolidation on chest X‐ray. Results Of the children admitted 34% were Maori, 43% Pacific and 75% lived in areas in the bottom quintile for socio‐economic deprivation. A virus was found in 94% of those tested including 30% with multiple viruses. Picornavirus was present in 59% including 34% as the sole virus. Respiratory syncytial virus was found in 39%. Virus co‐detection was not associated with length of stay, chest X‐ray changes or intensive care unit admission. Conclusion In this disadvantaged predominately Maori and Pacific population, picornavirus is commonly found as a sole virus, respiratory syncytial virus is frequent but immunisation preventable influenza is infrequent. We did not find that co‐detection of viruses was linked to severity.