title: Epidemiological assessment of Respiratory Syncytial Virus infection in hospitalized infants, during the season 2005-2006 in Palermo, Italy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is the leading cause of hospitalization for lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) in young children worldwide.We evaluate the epidemiological and clinical patterns of RSV infection in infants hospitalized for LRTI in in Palermo, South Italy, Sicily.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected the demographic details of infants hospitalized to G. Di Cristina Children's Hospital in Palermo for LRTI between November 2005 and May 2006. We also included all cases occurred in newborns hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Of Palermo.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the studied period, 335/705 hospitalized infants for LRTI were enrolled in the study. The trend of hospitalization started in late winter and lasting until May 2006 with an epidemic peak in spring. 178/335 infants tested for viral infection showed RSV disease. Three cases occurred in preterm newborns hospitalized from birth in NICU. The likelihood to be RSV+, rather than RSV negative (RSV-) was higher for infants < 6 months and lower for infants with history of breast feeding (P < 0.05). RSV infection was associated with a higher likelihood to be admitted to intensive care unit and to a longer hospitalization and oxygen therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study shows that, in Sicily, RSV is an important cause of LRTI in infants. The seasonal distribution shows that both LRTI and RSV infections peak in late spring, in contrast to Northern Italy. Our data could help to define the regional appropriate start of prophylactic interventions.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze per la Promozione della Salute, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy. pdicarlo@unipa.it.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Di Carlo
authors.forename: Amelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.forename: Ludovico
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Salsa
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gueli
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poma
authors.forename: Fortunata
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fucà
authors.forename: Piera
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dones
authors.forename: Mirella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Collura
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pampinella
authors.forename: Delia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Motisi
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Corsello