title: [Infections with respiratory syncytial virus in North Lebanon--prevalence during winter 2008].
abstract: Between 1 December 2007 and 31 May 2008, we analysed 120 nasopharyngeal swabs for the presence respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in 120 children aged 15 days to 6 years, hospitalized in 2 hospitals in North Lebanon. Of the 120 samples, 32 were positive (26.7%) for RSV. There was a peak in January which progressively disappeared from February to May. Being positive for RSV was significantly associated with the presence of rhinorrhoea and dyspnoea as clinical symptoms and the absence of pneumonia signs on chest X-ray and the diagnosis of bronchitises or bronchiolitis. Testing for RSV is important in cases of respiratory infections in children as it may limit unnecessary prescription of antibiotics.
authors.affiliation: Université Libanaise, Faculté de Santé publique, Section 3, Tripoli, Liban. mhamze@monzerhamze.com
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamzé
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hlais
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rachkidi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mallat
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lichaa
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zahab
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D016304:Hospitals, Private; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007861:Lebanon / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000821:virology; D012621:Seasons; D017678:Sex Distribution; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric