Acute lower respiratory tract infections in children in Kuwait.
The features of community-acquired acute lower respiratory tract infections in 390 children are described. Half (50%) presented with bronchiolitis, 37% with pneumonia and 13% with croup. Respiratory syncytial virus was the commonest agent identified (52% of bronchiolitis, 29% of pneumonia, 51% of croup). Positive bacterial blood cultures were obtained in 10% of the patients, all except one with pneumonia. Fever (> 39 degrees C), a toxic ill look, bronchial breathing, WCC > 20 x 10(9)/l, neutrophils > 5 x 10(9)/l, platelet count > 500 x 10(9)/l, ESR > 45 mm/hr, lobar consolidation and pleural effusion were more likely to be associated with bacterial than with viral pneumonia (relative risk > 1.81; p < 0.05). In areas with limited resources, a high fever, a toxic ill look, bronchial breathing and simple laboratory tests may help to identify patients with bacterial pneumonia.
Hijazi
Z
Z
Department of Paediatrics, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Safat, Kuwait.
Pacsa
A
A
el-Gharbawy
F
F
Chugh
T D
TD
Essa
S
S
el Shazli
A
A
Abd el-Salam
R
R
D000208:Acute Disease; D001988:Bronchiolitis / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D003440:Croup / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007730:Kuwait; D008297:Male; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000209:etiology; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology; D012621:Seasons; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000150:complications; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000150:complications