title: Viral aetiology of common colds of outpatient children at primary care level and the use of antibiotics.
abstract: Although antibiotics are ineffective against viral respiratory infections, studies have shown high rates of prescriptions worldwide. We conducted a study in Brazil to determine the viral aetiologies of common colds in children and to describe the use of antibiotics for these patients. Children up to 12 years with common colds were enrolled from March 2008-February 2009 at a primary care level facility and followed by regular telephone calls and medical consultations. A nasopharyngeal wash was obtained at enrollment and studied by direct fluorescence assay and polymerase chain reaction for nine different types of virus. A sample of 134 patients was obtained, median age 2.9 years (0.1-11.2 y). Respiratory viruses were detected in 73.9% (99/134) with a coinfection rate of 30.3% (30/99). Rhinovirus was the most frequent virus (53/134; 39.6%), followed by influenza (33/134; 24.6%) and respiratory syncytial virus (8/134; 13.4%). Antibiotic prescription rate was 39.6% (53/134) and 69.8% (37/53) were considered inappropriate. Patients with influenza infection received antibiotics inappropriately in a greater proportion of cases when compared to respiratory syncytial virus and rhinovirus infections (p = 0.016). The rate of inappropriate use of antibiotics was very high and patients with influenza virus infection were prescribed antibiotics inappropriately in a greater proportion of cases.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Virologia Clínica, Departamento de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Janete
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kamikawa
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Virologia Clínica, Departamento de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Celso Francisco Hernandes
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Granato
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Virologia Clínica, Departamento de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bellei
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D060085:Coinfection / Q000821:virology; D003139:Common Cold / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000821:virology; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents