title: Trends of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections in Children under 2 Years of Age in Puerto Rico.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most significant viral pathogen causing bronchiolitis and pneumonia in infants, today. In tropical climates the RSV infection may occur throughout the year. The purpose of this study was to asses RSV infections during the 2009‒2010 RSV season in children under 2 years of age and to evaluate the trend of positive RSV tests in the period of 2007 to 2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of data collected from 6 hospitals in Puerto Rico was performed. Patients with confirmed RSV bronchiolitis were included in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 4,678 patients were included. The mean age of the patients was 7 months. Data showed that RSV infection occurred throughout the studied months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data confirms a year-round presence of RSV in Puerto Rico. The RSV surveillance system needs to be reinforced to establish and understand the epidemiology of RSV and to review the current immunoprophylaxis guidelines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Neonatology Section, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR.
authors.forename: Israel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Matías
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Neonatology Section, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR.
authors.forename: Inés
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: García
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Neonatology Section, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR.
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: García-Fragoso
authors.affiliation: San Jorge Children's Hospital, San Juan, PR.
authors.forename: Gilberto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Puig
authors.affiliation: San Jorge Children's Hospital, San Juan, PR.
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pedraza
authors.affiliation: University of Puerto Rico Hospital Dr. Federico Trilla, Carolina, PR.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Interamerican Hospital for Advanced Medicine, Caguas, PR.
authors.forename: Alvaro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Santaella
authors.affiliation: Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, 08544, USA.
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arce
authors.affiliation: San Antonio Hospital, Mayagüez, PR.
authors.forename: Marilyn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toledo
authors.affiliation: Manatí Medical Center Hospital, Manatí, PR.
authors.forename: Edwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Soto
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Neonatology Section, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valcárcel
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000453:epidemiology; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012621:Seasons
keywords: Bronchiolitis; Hospitalizations; Puerto Rico; Respiratory syncytial virus