title: Viral etiology of severe acute respiratory infections in hospitalized children in Cameroon, 2011-2013.
abstract: Severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) is recognized as an important cause of morbidity, mortality, and hospitalization among children in developing countries. Little is known, however, in tropical countries like Cameroon about the cause and seasonality of respiratory infections, especially in hospitalized settings.
  
  
  
  Our study investigates the viral etiology and seasonality of SARI in hospitalized children in Yaounde, Cameroon.
  
  
  
  Prospective clinic surveillance was conducted to identify hospitalized children aged ≤15 years presenting with respiratory symptoms ≤5-day duration. Demographic and clinical data, and respiratory specimens were collected. Nasopharyngeal samples were tested for 17 respiratory viruses using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction. The viral distribution and demographic data were statistically analyzed.
  
  
  
  From September 2011 through September 2013, 347 children aged ≤15 years were enrolled. At least one virus was identified in each of 65·4% children, of which 29·5% were coinfections; 27·3% were positive for human adenovirus (hAdV), 13·2% for human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV), 11·5% for rhinovirus/enterovirus (RV/EV), 10·6% for human bocavirus (hBoV), 9·8% for influenza virus (Inf), 6·6% for human parainfluenza virus (hPIV), 5·7% for human coronavirus (hCoV), and 2·3% for human metapneumovirus (hMPV). While hRSV showed seasonal patterns, hAdV and RV/EV were detected throughout the year and no evident temporal patterns were observed for the remaining viruses.
  
  
  
  Respiratory viruses were associated with a high burden of hospitalizations among children in Cameroon. Nevertheless, additional studies evaluating asymptomatic Cameroonian children will be important in understanding the relationship between viral carriage and disease.
authors.affiliation: Centre Pasteur of Cameroon, International Network of Pasteur Institutes, Yaounde, Cameroon.|Département de Biochimie, Université de Yaoundé 1, Yaounde, Cameroun.|Virology Service, Pôle de Biologie, CHU de Caen, Caen, France.
authors.forename: Sebastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kenmoe
authors.affiliation: Centre Pasteur of Cameroon, International Network of Pasteur Institutes, Yaounde, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Patrice
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tchendjou
authors.affiliation: Centre Pasteur of Cameroon, International Network of Pasteur Institutes, Yaounde, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Marie-Astrid
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Vernet
authors.affiliation: Essos Hospital Center, Yaounde, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Suzie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moyo-Tetang
authors.affiliation: Centre Pasteur of Cameroon, International Network of Pasteur Institutes, Yaounde, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mossus
authors.affiliation: Centre Pasteur of Cameroon, International Network of Pasteur Institutes, Yaounde, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Mohamadou
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Njankouo-Ripa
authors.affiliation: Centre Pasteur of Cameroon, International Network of Pasteur Institutes, Yaounde, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Angeladine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kenne
authors.affiliation: Département de Biochimie, Université de Yaoundé 1, Yaounde, Cameroun.
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Penlap Beng
authors.affiliation: Virology Service, Pôle de Biologie, CHU de Caen, Caen, France.
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vabret
authors.affiliation: Centre Pasteur of Cameroon, International Network of Pasteur Institutes, Yaounde, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Njouom
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D000293:Adolescent; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D060085:Coinfection / Q000821:virology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D056661:Human bocavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000821:virology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018113:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D012229:Rhinovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012621:Seasons; D014780:Viruses / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
keywords: Africa; Cameroon; etiology; severe acute respiratory infections; virus