title: Acute viral lower respiratory tract infections in Cambodian children: clinical and epidemiologic characteristics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Viruses are detected in most hospitalized children admitted for acute respiratory infections. Etiologic understanding is needed to improve clinical management and prevention, particularly in resource-limited tropical countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 3-year prospective descriptive study was conducted among Cambodian children admitted to 2 provincial hospitals for acute lower respiratory tract infection. Molecular detection for 18 viral pathogens using multiplex polymerase chain reaction/reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We enrolled 1006 children less than 5 years of age of whom 423 (42%), 428 (42%) and 155 (16%) had pneumonia, bronchiolitis and unclassified lower respiratory tract infections, respectively. Of the 551 (55%) with documented viral infection, a single virus was detected in 491 (89%), including rhinovirus (n = 169; 34%), respiratory syncytial virus (n = 167; 34%), parainfluenza virus (n = 40; 8%), human metapneumovirus (n = 39; 8%), influenza virus (n = 31; 6%), bocavirus (n = 16; 3%), adenovirus (n = 15; 3%), coronavirus (n = 9; 2%) and enterovirus (n = 5; 1%). Coinfections with multiple viruses were detected in 6% (2 viruses detected in 59 cases; 3 viruses detected in 1 case).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Similar to other tropical countries, rhinovirus and respiratory syncytial virus were the principal viral pathogens detected among children hospitalized for lower tract respiratory infection in Cambodia.
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur in Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. guerriergilles@gmail.com
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guerrier
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goyet
authors.forename: Eak Tep
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Chheng
authors.forename: Blandine
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rammaert
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Borand
authors.forename: Vantha
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Te
authors.forename: Patrich Lorn
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Try
authors.forename: Rith
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sareth
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cavailler
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mayaud
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guillard
authors.forename: Sirenda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vong
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Buchy
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tarantola
mesh_terms: D001990:Bronchiolitis, Viral / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D002160:Cambodia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D060085:Coinfection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011024:Pneumonia, Viral / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012621:Seasons; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014780:Viruses / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification