title: Temporal relationship between human parechovirus 1 infection and otitis media in young children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human parechovirus (HPeV) 1 is a common virus that infects almost everyone during childhood. Because clinical symptoms are poorly documented, we evaluated the symptoms associated with HPeV1 infection in a cohort of children followed prospectively from birth at 3-month intervals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Symptoms such as fever, cough, those of the common cold, otitis media, and gastroenteritis were determined from hospital records and from questionnaires administered to the parents of 59 children during regular study visits. HPeV1 infections were diagnosed by measuring neutralizing antibodies in follow-up serum samples. Additionally, HPeV RNA was analyzed in middle ear fluid (MEF) and nasopharyngeal aspirate samples from 33 patients with otitis media by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Otitis media showed a clear association with HPeV1 infection-it developed in 50% of the 3-month follow-up periods that yielded evidence for HPeV1 infection but in only 14% of the HPeV1-negative periods (odds ratio [OR], 6.14 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 2.75-13.77]). In children with recurring otitis media, MEF samples were positive for HPeV in 15% of episodes. Cough was also associated with HPeV1 infection, but this association was weaker (OR, 3.67 [95% CI, 1.66-8.09]). Other symptoms were not linked to HPeV1 infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HPeV1 infections are common in childhood and may cause otitis media and cough.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Virology, University of Tampere Medical School, 33014 University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland. Sisko.Tauriainen@uta.fi
authors.forename: Sisko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tauriainen
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oikarinen
authors.forename: Kirsi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Taimen
authors.forename: Jussi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laranne
authors.forename: Markku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sipilä
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lönnrot
authors.forename: Jorma
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ilonen
authors.forename: Olli
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Simell
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Knip
authors.forename: Heikki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hyöty
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003371:Cough / Q000821:virology; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D030061:Parechovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010850:Picornaviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012621:Seasons; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral