title: Severe respiratory syncytial virus disease in Alaska native children. RSV Alaska Study Group.
abstract: Hospitalization rates for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection range from 1 to 20/1000 infants. To determine the rate and severity of RSV infections requiring hospitalization for infants in the Yukon-Kuskokwim (YK) Delta of Alaska, a 3-year prospective surveillance study was conducted. The annual rate of RSV hospitalization for YK Delta infants <1 year of age was 53-249/1000. RSV infection was the most frequent cause of infant hospitalization. RSV disease severity did not differ among non-high-risk infants in the YK Delta and at Johns Hopkins Hospital (JHH). On average, 1/125 infants born in the YK Delta required mechanical ventilation for RSV infection. During the peak season, approximately $1034/child <3 years of age was spent on RSV hospitalization in the YK Delta. In YK Delta infants </=6 months old, RSV microneutralizing antibody titers <1200 were associated with severe disease (odds ratio=6.2, P=.03). In the YK Delta and at JHH, newborns may be at greater risk for severe RSV illness than previously thought.
authors.affiliation: Center for Immunization Research, Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. rkarron@jhsph.edu
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Karron
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Singleton
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bulkow
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parkinson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kruse
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: DeSmet
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Indorf
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Leombruno
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hurlburt
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santosham
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Harrison
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000413:Alaska / Q000453:epidemiology; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D015142:Baltimore / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology; D006760:Hospitalization; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007198:Indians, North American; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D004930:Inuit; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000145:classification; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral