title: Viral etiology of influenza-like illnesses in Cameroon, January-December 2009.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  No information is available on the viral etiology of upper respiratory tract infections in Cameroon.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively enrolled outpatients with influenza-like illness (ILI) presenting at 14 sentinel clinics located across the country from January through December 2009. The specimens were tested using real-time and multiplex reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction methods for the detection of 15 RNA respiratory viruses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We detected at least 1 respiratory virus in 365 of 561 specimens (65.1%). Overall, influenza virus was the most commonly detected virus (28.2% of specimens), followed by human rhinovirus (17.8%); parainfluenza virus (PIV) types 1-4 (7.5%); enterovirus (5.9%); respiratory syncytial virus (RSV; 5.7%); human coronavirus (HCoV) OC43, 229E, NL63, and HKU1 (5.3%); and human metapneumovirus (HMPV; 5.0%). RSV (26 of 31 specimens [83.9%]), PIV (30 of 39 [76.9%]), and HRV (64 of 99 [64.6%]) were most common among children <5 years of age. Coinfections were found in 53 of 365 positive specimens (14.5%), and most (71.7%) were in children <5 years of age. While influenza virus, enterovirus, RSV, and HMPV had a defined period of circulation, the other viruses were detected throughout the year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that respiratory viruses play an important role in the etiology of ILI in Cameroon, particularly in children <5 years of age.
authors.affiliation: Service de Virologie, Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Yaounde, Cameroon. njouom@pasteur-yaounde.org
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Njouom
authors.forename: Elsie Laban
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Yekwa
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cappy
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vabret
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boisier
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rousset
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012328:RNA Viruses / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D055815:Young Adult