title: Rapid detection and clinical features of infants and young children with acute lower respiratory tract infection due to respiratory syncytial virus.
abstract: During December to the end of February of 2003 and 2004, a total of 282 nasopharyngeal aspirates were obtained from infants and young children admitted to the Buraidah Maternity and Pediatric Hospital, Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia, and clinically diagnosed as suffering from acute lower respiratory tract infections. The aspirates were tested for the presence of respiratory syncytial virus using direct fluorescein-labeled monoclonal antibody assay. Of the 282 specimens, 128 (45.4%) were found to be positive for respiratory syncytial virus. The most positive specimens came from patients less than one year old (51.3%), and were associated with bronchopneumonia (56.7%) or bronchiolits (55.4%). Coughing (100%) and tachpnea (98%) were significantly more frequent in infants with respiratory syncytial virus infection, followed by wheezing, crepitation and retraction, each representing 66%. Three deaths were reported. The availability of a rapid viral diagnostic assay will be an important tool for physicians to make more accurate treatment decisions and therefore reduce unnecessary antibiotic usage and hospital stay for the patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Al-Qassim University, Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia. mmeqdam@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Mamdoh M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Meqdam
authors.forename: Sami H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Subaih
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001988:Bronchiolitis / Q000821:virology; D001996:Bronchopneumonia / Q000821:virology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003371:Cough / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors