Viruses associated with acute respiratory infections in children admitted to hospital in Naples, 1979-82.
A survey of the virological and epidemiological features of acute respiratory diseases in children admitted to hospital in Naples has been carried out; the results of three years of research are reported.Between April 1979 and March 1982, 787 nasopharyngeal swabs were examined. There were 287 (36.5%) positive samples, with the highest isolation rate being found in children with bronchiolitis (39.5%).Among the different viruses isolated, adenovirus was the most common (161 positive samples, 56%); this agent appeared regularly in the different age and disease groups, with a marked increase in prevalence during the winter of 1980. Isolations of herpesvirus, respiratory syncytial virus and enterovirus were less frequent; however, echovirus 3 caused an epidemic in the summer of 1980. Influenza and parainfluenza viruses were seen fairly infrequently; two cases of Reye's syndrome yielded strains of influenza B.
D000208:Acute Disease; D000257:Adenoviridae Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D000258:Adenovirus Infections, Human / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology*; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D012621:Seasons; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014780:Viruses / Q000302:isolation & purification*