title: Respiratory picornaviruses and respiratory syncytial virus as causative agents of acute expiratory wheezing in children.
abstract: We studied the viral etiology of acute expiratory wheezing (bronchiolitis, acute asthma) in 293 hospitalized children in a 2-year prospective study in Finland. A potential causative viral agent was detected in 88% of the cases. Eleven different viruses were represented. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (27%), enteroviruses (25%), rhinovirus (24%), and nontypable rhino/enterovirus (16%) were found most frequently. In infants, RSV was found in 54% and respiratory picornaviruses (rhinovirus and enteroviruses) in 42% of the cases. In older children, respiratory picornaviruses dominated (65% of children ages 1-2 years and 82% of children ages > or =3 years). Human metapneumovirus was detected in 4% of all children and in 11% of infants. To prevent and treat acute expiratory wheezing illnesses in children, efforts should be focused on RSV, enterovirus, and rhinovirus infections.
authors.affiliation: Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland. toumas.jartii@hus.fi
authors.forename: Tuomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jartti
authors.forename: Pasi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lehtinen
authors.forename: Tytti
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vuorinen
authors.forename: Riika
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Osterback
authors.forename: Bernadette
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: van den Hoogen
authors.forename: Albert D M E
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Osterhaus
authors.forename: Olli
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ruuskanen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D001988:Bronchiolitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010849:Picornaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010850:Picornaviridae Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000209:etiology*; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral