Open AccessAn investigation of risk factors associated with respiratory syncytial virus infection in a sample of infants and young children from baghdad
Author(s) -
Suha Ali,
Arwa Al-Shuwaikh,
Hala Sameh Arif
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
maǧallaẗ markaz buḥūṯ al-taqniyyaẗ al-aḥyāʾiyyaẗ
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2708-1370
pISSN - 1815-1140
DOI - 10.24126/jobrc.2019.13.1.565
Subject(s) - medicine , virus , breastfeeding , respiratory tract , throat , respiratory system , pediatrics , respiratory tract infections , respiratory infection , lower respiratory tract infection , pneumovirinae , immunology , paramyxoviridae , viral disease , surgery
Background: Human Respiratory Syncytial virus (hRSV) is one of the major causes of viral respiratory tract infection in infants and young children.
Aim of study: The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors associated with hRSV infection.
Objective: This study included 100 hospitalized infants and young children with chest infection (39 female and 61 male) aged from (1) to (24) months, their mean age (6.87) months.
Material and methods: Nasopharyngeal/throat swabs specimens were collected over a three-month winter period from January to April, 2017. hRSV was determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
Results: The highest percentage of hRSV RNA (56.81%) was observed in the age group less than 6 months, followed by (27.27%) and (15.91%) in the age group 6-12 months and 12-24 months, respectively, which mean that (84%) of hRSV infections were under 12 months of age. Regarding the type of feeding, about (84%) of hRSV infections were positive in patients with bottle feeding which indicated that the role of breastfeeding in preventing hRSV infection and hospitalization is undisputed, Results showed that there was no significant association between these risk factors and the occurrence of hRSV infection (P˃ 0.05).
Conclusion: The hRSV-RNA is equally distributed between patients exposed and not exposed to smoking (50%).