title: [Viruses and clinical features associated with hospitalized children with acute respiratory infections in Lhasa, Tibet].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the viral etiology and clinical features of hospitalized children with acute respiratory tract infections in Tibet.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nasopharyngeal aspirate samples were collected from children with acute respiratory tract infection hospitalized at the department of Pediatrics, Tibet Autonomous Region People's Hospital from April to July, 2011. The specimens of nasopharyngeal aspirate were screened for antigens of 7 common respiratory viruses by direct immunofluorescence (DIF) [respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenovirus (ADV), parainfluenza viruses type I-III, influenza virus A and B] and human metapneumovirus. Clinical data of the children were analyzed by statistical software SPSS16.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 167 children with acute respiratory tract infections hospitalized from April to July 2011 were enrolled in this investigation. Sixty-five out of 167 specimens were positive for viral antigens. The virus positive rate for specimens was 38.9% (65/167). Two of 65 positive specimens were positive for 2 virus antigens (RSV + influenza B) and (hMPV + parainfluenza virus type III), respectively. RSV was detected in 45 cases (67.2%, 45/67) which was the most predominant, followed by parainfluenza virus type III detected in 7 cases (10.4%, 7/67), ADV in 6 cases (9.0%, 6/67), parainfluenza virus type I in 4 cases (6.0%, 4/67), influenza virus type B in 3 cases (4.5%, 3/67), and hMPV in 2 cases (3.0%, 2/67). In addition to clinical manifestations of pneumonia, such as cough and shortness of breath, only 3 virus positive cases (6.67%) presented with wheezing, but the signs of severe cyanosis, fine rales in lung were common. Most of the children in this study recovered soon, only a few younger children with underlying diseases or complications had severe illness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Virus is an important pathogen for acute respiratory infections for hospitalized children in Tibet. RSV was the most predominant etiological agent, especially for those younger than 3 years old.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Tibet Autonomous Region People's Hospital, Lhasa, Tibet 850000, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Ru-nan
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Lin-qing
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Min-na
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.forename: Mei-duo
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Deji
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002673:Child, Hospitalized; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D019085:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000821:virology; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D018113:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D018609:Tibet / Q000453:epidemiology; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D014780:Viruses / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*