title: Viral aetiology of acute lower respiratory tract illness in hospitalised paediatric patients of a tertiary hospital: one year prospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRI), ranked as the second leading cause of death are the primary cause of hospitalisation in children. Viruses are the most important causative agents of ALRI.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the viral aetiology of ALRI in children at a tertiary care hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  One year prospective observational study in a tertiary care hospital of King George's Medical University, Lucknow.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA) was collected from children admitted with signs and symptoms of ALRI who were aged 0-14 years. Samples were transported to the laboratory at 4°C in viral transport media and processed for detection of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) A and B, influenza virus A and B, adenovirus (ADV), human Boca virus (HBoV), human metapneumo virus (hMPV) and parainfluenzavirus 1, 2, 3 and 4 using mono/multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). STATA was used for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In one year, 188 NPAs were screened for respiratory viruses, of which 45.7% tested positive. RSV was most commonly detected with 21.3% positivity followed by measles virus (8.5%), influenza A virus (7.4%), ADV (5.3%), influenza B virus (1.6%), hMPV (1.1%) and HBoV (0.5%). Month wise maximum positivity was seen in December and January. Positivity rate of RSV was highest in children aged < 1 year, which decreased with increase in age, while positive rate of influenza virus increased with increasing age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The occurrence of viral predominance in ALRI is highlighted.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, NIV, Infl uenza division, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dangi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dwivedi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: R A S
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kushwaha
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Chhaddha
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D012634:Bodily Secretions / Q000821:virology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000821:virology; D011024:Pneumonia, Viral / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D014780:Viruses / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*