title: Respiratory syncytial virus infection in young children hospitalized with respiratory illness in Riyadh.
abstract: The occurrence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection among young children hospitalized with lower respiratory tract illness, at King Khalid University Hospital in Riyadh, was examined during the autumn-winter season between September 1991 and February 1992. Sixty-nine cases were diagnosed by immunofluorescent antibody staining of viral antigen in nasopharyngeal aspirates from 127 children, constituting 54 per cent of these patients. Virus culture was attempted only in a few cases, yielding two isolates. Most children were < 1 year of age (median 2 months). Bronchiolitis and bronchopneumonia were the major diagnoses on admission. Hospitalization was for an average of 5 days (range 1-36 days). Treatment was supportive but most children received antibiotic therapy. There was no mortality. Few other bacterial or viral pathogens could be identified from RSV-positive or -negative patients. These results indicate that, during the season of infection, RSV may be the main pathogen of lower respiratory tract illness in hospitalized young children in this region.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Jamjoom
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: al-Semrani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Board
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: al-Frayh
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Artz
authors.forename: K F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: al-Mobaireek
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D001988:Bronchiolitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D001996:Bronchopneumonia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D018113:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents