Rhinovirus associated with severe lower respiratory tract infections in children.
Rhinovirus is a respiratory virus most typically associated with the common cold and asthma exacerbations, and has not traditionally been considered to play a major role in severe lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs). As part of a surveillance program for respiratory pathogens of public health importance, children consecutively admitted to intensive care for LRTI at a large tertiary children's hospital were tested with polymerase chain reaction for 11 respiratory viruses and Mycoplasma pneumoniae from February 21 to October 31, 2007; 43 cases were enrolled and rhinovirus was the most frequently detected pathogen, with 21 (49%) positive. Rhinovirus cases frequently were young (median age, 1.4 years [range, 44 days-15 years]), hospitalized for pneumonia (10; 48%), had chronic underlying illnesses (15; 71%), had abnormal chest radiographs (18; 86%), required mechanical ventilation (12; 57%), and had prolonged hospitalization (median length, 7 days [range, 1-29 days]). Coinfection with other viruses or bacteria was common (10; 47%). Rhinovirus may be associated with more severe LRTI in children than previously reported, particularly in the noninfluenza, nonrespiratory syncytial virus season.
Louie
Janice K
JK
California Department of Public Health, Richmond, CA, USA. Janice.louie@edph.ca.gov
Roy-Burman
Arup
A
Guardia-Labar
Lilly
L
Boston
Erica J
EJ
Kiang
David
D
Padilla
Tasha
T
Yagi
Shigeo
S
Messenger
Sharon
S
Petru
Ann M
AM
Glaser
Carol A
CA
Schnurr
David P
DP
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric; D009177:Mycoplasma pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics; D010850:Picornaviridae Infections / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D011024:Pneumonia, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012229:Rhinovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*