Respiratory picornaviruses and respiratory syncytial virus as causative agents of acute expiratory wheezing in children.
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.
Jartti
Tuomas
T
Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland. toumas.jartii@hus.fi
Lehtinen
Pasi
P
Vuorinen
Tytti
T
Osterback
Riika
R
van den Hoogen
Bernadette
B
Osterhaus
Albert D M E
AD
Ruuskanen
Olli
O
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
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral