Serum C-reactive protein in children with adenovirus infection.
OBJECTIVE
(1) To evaluate serum C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations in children with adenovirus infection, and (2) to compare CRP concentrations in adenovirus and influenza virus infection.


METHODS
Retrospective, comparative single-center study conducted in Emergency Department patients of a paediatric tertiary care center. Comparison of CRP in adenovirus infection and influenza was performed in patient groups stratified according to age and duration of fever.


RESULTS
In 87 children with adenovirus infection (median age, 1.5 years; interquartile range, 0.9-3.0), CRP levels of <2 mg/L, <10 mg/L, and <100 mg/L were found in 4 (4%), 12 (13%), and 66 (76%) patients, respectively. Median CRP in the children with adenovirus infection and in 130 children with influenza was 49 mg/L (21-96) and 9 mg/L (3-20), respectively (p = 0.001). A statistically significant difference remained when these 2 patient groups were stratified according to age (</=2 vs. >2 years) and duration of fever (</=3 vs. >3 days) (p <0.001). In adenovirus infection CRP concentrations were unrelated to age, duration of fever and severity of illness, as judged by the extent of mucosal involvement and by the frequency and duration of hospitalisation.


CONCLUSIONS
Paediatric adenovirus infection is associated with substantially elevated CRP concentrations in the absence of secondary bacterial infection. CRP levels were independent of the duration of illness, indicating that adenoviruses trigger an immediate inflammatory host response resembling invasive bacterial infection.
Appenzeller
Christina
C
Department of Padiatrics, University of Bern, Inselspital, Switzerland.
Ammann
Roland A
RA
Duppenthaler
Andrea
A
Gorgievski-Hrisoho
Meri
M
Aebi
Christoph
C
D000257:Adenoviridae Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D000367:Age Factors; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004638:Emergency Treatment; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007249:Inflammation; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013557:Switzerland; D013997:Time Factors
D002097:C-Reactive Protein