Parainfluenza virus as a cause of acute respiratory infection in hospitalized children.
BACKGROUND
Human parainfluenza viruses account for a significant proportion of lower respiratory tract infections in children.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence of Human parainfluenza viruses as a cause of acute respiratory infection and to compare clinical data for this infection against those of the human respiratory syncytial virus.


METHODS
A prospective study in children younger than five years with acute respiratory infection was conducted. Detection of respiratory viruses in nasopharyngeal aspirate samples was performed using the indirect immunofluorescence reaction. Length of hospital stay, age, clinical history and physical exam, clinical diagnoses, and evolution (admission to Intensive Care Unit or general ward, discharge or death) were assessed. Past personal (premature birth and cardiopathy) as well as family (smoking and atopy) medical factors were also assessed.


RESULTS
A total of 585 patients were included with a median age of 7.9 months and median hospital stay of six days. No difference between the HRSV+ and HPIV+ groups was found in terms of age, gender or length of hospital stay. The HRSV+ group had more fever and cough. Need for admission to the Intensive Care Unit was similar for both groups but more deaths were recorded in the HPIV+ group. The occurrence of parainfluenza peaked during the autumn in the first two years of the study.


CONCLUSIONS
Parainfluenza was responsible for significant morbidity, proving to be the second-most prevalent viral agent in this population after respiratory syncytial virus. No difference in clinical presentation was found between the two groups, but mortality was higher in the HPIV+ group.
Medical Shool, Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Rogério
R
Pecchini
Medical Shool, Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: eberezin2003@yahoo.com.
Eitan Naaman
EN
Berezin
Center for Immunology, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Maria Cândida
MC
Souza
Center for Immunology, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Lourdes de Andrade
Lde A
Vaz-de-Lima
Center for Immunology, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Neuza
N
Sato
Center for Immunology, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Maristela
M
Salgado
Center for Immunology, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Mirthes
M
Ueda
Faculdade de Medicina de Jundiaí, Jundiaí, SP, Brazil.
Saulo Duarte
SD
Passos
Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Raphael
R
Rangel
Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Ana
A
Catebelota
D000208:Acute Disease; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000821:virology; D010222:Parainfluenza Virus 1, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D010253:Respirovirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012621:Seasons
Parainfluenza; Paramyxoviridae infections; Respiratory tract infections; Respiratory virus