title: [Viral respiratory tract infections in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Viral respiratory infections cause major morbidity and mortality in preterm infants. We have performed a prospective study in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to determine the incidence of respiratory infections, their impact and the epidemiology and outcome in high risk neonates.
  
  
  METHODS
  From September 2011 to May 2013 a prospective study was conducted in all preterm infants < 32 weeks gestational age and in all term newborns admitted to NICU for any pathology that are anticipated to have an income exceeding two weeks. A nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA) was collected the first day of life and weekly until discharge for virologic study with polymerase chain reaction. When these babies presented respiratory symptoms a new NPA was collected in this moment. A clinical form was filled by the physician.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 60 infants were analyzed: 30 (50%) had a gestational age < 32 weeks and 36 (60%) weighing less than 1500 grams. We collected a total of 256 nasopharyngeal aspirate samples, 24 of them being positive (9.3%). These 24 positive samples corresponded to 13 infants in our cohort (21.6% of the patients). Of them, 9 were symptomatic and had 11 episodes of infection (2 patients had two different episodes with negative control between them). The most frequently identified virus was rhinovirus in (19) 79% of cases. The most frequent clinical data was the presence or increased of apneas (75%) and the needed of oxygenotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HRV infections are prevalent in the NICU, and preterm infants have a high risk of infections with clinical relevance.
authors: Departamento de Neonatología y Pediatría, Hospital Severo Ochoa, Leganés, Madrid, España.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Gonzalez-Carrasco
authors: Departamento de Neonatología y Pediatría, Hospital Severo Ochoa, Leganés, Madrid, España. Electronic address: ccalvorey@ono.com.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Calvo
authors: Departamento de Neonatología y Pediatría, Hospital Severo Ochoa, Leganés, Madrid, España.
authors: M L
authors: ML
authors: García-García
authors: Departamento de Neonatología y Pediatría, Hospital Severo Ochoa, Leganés, Madrid, España.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Beato
authors: Departamento de Neonatología y Pediatría, Hospital Severo Ochoa, Leganés, Madrid, España.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Muñoz-Archidona
authors: Laboratorio de Virus Respiratorios y Gripe, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, España.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Pozo
authors: Laboratorio de Virus Respiratorios y Gripe, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, España.
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Casas
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Infecciones del tracto respiratorio; Preterm infants; Pretérmino; Respiratory syncytial virus; Respiratory tract infections; Rhinovirus; Rinovirus; Virus respiratorio sincitial