Nasopharyngeal detection of respiratory viruses in febrile neutropenic children.
BACKGROUND
Although fever is common in neutropenic children, a microbiological etiology is determined in only 15% to 30% of cases. The authors investigated the frequency of respiratory virus detection in the upper airways of febrile neutropenic children with negative bacterial cultures.


METHODS
This is a 3-year prospective study of children younger than 19 years, hospitalized with febrile neutropenia and negative bacterial cultures. Respiratory samples were obtained for amplification of viral nucleic acids via Luminex xTAG technology.


RESULTS
There were 50 febrile neutropenic episodes among 42 patients. Respiratory viruses were detected in 26 (52%) febrile episodes. A single virus was detected in 22 febrile episodes; multiple viruses were detected in the remaining 4. Rhinovirus/Enterovirus was most frequently detected.


CONCLUSIONS
Respiratory viruses were detected frequently in nasopharyngeal samples from febrile neutropenic patients with negative bacterial cultures, thus providing an impetus to determine the relationship between virus detection, infection, and pathology in this unique patient population.
SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA. suryadem@upstate.edu
Manika
M
Suryadevara
Christy M
CM
Tabarani
Nadine
N
Bartholoma
Helene F
HF
Rosenberg
Joseph B
JB
Domachowske
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000821:virology*; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000821:virology*; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology*; D014780:Viruses