title: Multicentered study of viral acute lower respiratory infections in children from four cities of Argentina, 1993-1994.
abstract: This study describes the first multicentered study of acute lower respiratory infection viral etiology in young children from four different geographical areas of Argentina. A total of 1,278 children under 5 years of age, hospitalized in primary care centers from Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Santa Fé and Mar del Plata cities during a 2-year period were studied (1993-1994). Nasopharyngeal aspirates were investigated for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenovirus, parainfluenza, and influenza A and B viruses by indirect immunofluorescence. Out of the patients studied, 946 (74%) were under 1 year of age. Viruses were detected in 399 patients (32%). RSV was observed in 25.3% of the samples, representing 78.2% of all viral positive cases. Adenoviruses were detected in 2.5% of the cases, parainfluenza in 2.2%, influenza A in 2.1%, and influenza B in 0.2%. Compared with other viruses, the higher RSV frequency was statistically significant (P < 0.000). Most RSV cases were detected between May and September with a significant peak in July (P < 0.000). Pneumonia was observed in 46% of the patients, bronchiolitis in 41% and other entities in 13%. The case fatality rate observed during the 2 year study was 0.73%. Most of the above respiratory viruses were detected in the four cities, however, the frequency of RSV and influenza were different in the southern city.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas N. Quirno (CEMIC), Laboratorio de Virología, Galvan 4102(1431), Buenos Aires, Argentina. gcarballal@cemic.edu.ar
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carballal
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Videla
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Espinosa
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Savy
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Uez
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Sequeira
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Knez
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Requeijo
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Posse
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Miceli
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001118:Argentina; D001990:Bronchiolitis, Viral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009981:Influenza B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008297:Male; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000821:virology; D011024:Pneumonia, Viral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D018111:Pneumovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D012621:Seasons; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*