title: Burden of respiratory syncytial virus in hospitalized infants and young children in Amman, Jordan.
abstract: Acute respiratory infections (ARI) play a major role in hospitalizations in the Middle East, but the specific viral causes are unknown. We conducted prospective viral surveillance in children <5 y of age admitted with ARI and/or fever at 2 dissimilar hospitals in Amman, Jordan during peak respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) season. We collected prospective clinical and demographic data and obtained nose/throat swabs for testing for RSV by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). We obtained clinical and laboratory data for 728/743 (98%) subjects enrolled. The children's median age was 4.3 months, 58.4% were males, 87% were breastfed, 4% attended day care, 67% were exposed to smokers, 7% were admitted to the intensive care unit, and 0.7% died (n = 5). Out of 728 subjects, 467 (64%) tested positive by RT-PCR for RSV. Comparing RSV-positive with RSV-negative subjects, the RSV-positive subjects had lower median age (3.6 vs 6.4 months, p < 0.001) and fewer males (55% vs 64%, p = 0.02). RSV-positive children had higher rates of oxygen use (72% vs 42%, p < 0.001), a longer hospital stay (5 vs 4 days, p = 0.001), and higher hospital charges (US$538 vs US$431, p < 0.001) than RSV-negative children. In young hospitalized Jordanian infants, the medical and financial burden of RSV was found to be high. Effective preventive measures, such as an RSV vaccine, would have a significant beneficial impact.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Pathology-Microbiology, Jordan University, Amman, Jordan.
authors.forename: Najwa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khuri-Bulos
authors.forename: John V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Asem A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Shehabi
authors.forename: Samir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Faouri
authors.forename: Ehsan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Al Jundi
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Abushariah
authors.forename: Qingxia
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: S Asad
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Sten
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vermund
authors.forename: Natasha B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Halasa
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007597:Jordan / Q000453:epidemiology; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008877:Middle East; D009666:Nose / Q000821:virology; D010614:Pharynx / Q000821:virology; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D018113:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral