title: Parainfluenza virus type 4 infections in pediatric patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics and epidemiology of parainfluenza virus type 4 infections in pediatric patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hospital records of 13 patients from whom parainfluenza virus type 4 was isolated were retrospectively reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Parainfluenza virus type 4 infection was associated with upper respiratory tract disease, severe lower respiratory tract disease requiring hospitalization in 10 of 13 patients and aseptic meningitis. Nine of the 10 hospitalized patients were < 24 months old (mean age, 8.3 months) and required hospitalization for 4 to 25 days (mean, 5.5 days).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serious illnesses associated with parainfluenza virus type 4 infections are more common than previously recognized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lindquist
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Darnule
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Istas
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Demmler
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000821:virology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019213:Rubulavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019351:Rubulavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*