Respiratory syncytial virus infections during an epidemic period in Salvador, Brazil. Viral antigenic group analysis and description of clinical and epidemiological aspects.
Acute respiratory infections (ARI) caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) were studied in 482 children from Salvador, BA, Brazil, over a period of 12 months. The epidemic period of RSV infections in Salvador occurred from February (summer) to August (winter), with peaks in May, June, and July. The grouping characteristics of 84 RSV present in nasopharyngeal secretions of children seen at a reference university hospital were analyzed. RSV represented 17.4% of all cases and 54.5% of the positive samples. Sixty-four RSV strains were assigned to group A and 14 to group B. Both groups circulated in the five months of the epidemic period studied. Infections by both groups of RSV were more frequent in children up to one year of age. The incidence of RSV ARI was slightly more frequent in males, although group B had more infected females.
Laboratório de Patologia e Doenças Virais, Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz-Fiocruz, 40295-001 Salvador, BA, Brasil. hugom@daterranet.com.br
Fernanda Edna Araújo
FE
Moura
Leonardo Carletto
LC
Borges
Silvana Augusta Rodrigues
SA
Portes
Eduardo Antônio Gonçalves
EA
Ramos
Marilda Mendonça
MM
Siqueira
D000208:Acute Disease; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D017817:Nasal Lavage Fluid / Q000821:virology; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D018113:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D012621:Seasons; D012703:Serotyping