title: Acute viral respiratory infections among children in MERS-endemic Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2012-2013.
abstract: The emergence of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in Saudi Arabia has intensified focus on Acute Respiratory Infections [ARIs]. This study sought to identify respiratory viruses (RVs) associated with ARIs in children presenting at a tertiary hospital. Children (aged ≤13) presenting with ARI between January 2012 and December 2013 tested for 15 RVs using the SeeplexRRV15 kit were retrospectively included. Epidemiological data was retrieved from patient records. Of the 2235 children tested, 61.5% were ≤1 year with a male: female ratio of 3:2. Viruses were detected in 1364 (61.02%) children, 233 (10.4%) having dual infections: these viruses include respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (24%), human rhinovirus (hRV) (19.7%), adenovirus (5.7%), influenza virus (5.3%), and parainfluenzavirus-3 (4.6%). Children, aged 9-11 months, were most infected (60.9%). Lower respiratory tract infections (55.4%) were significantly more than upper respiratory tract infection (45.3%) (P < 0.001). Seasonal variation of RV was directly and inversely proportional to relative humidity and temperature, respectively, for non MERS coronaviruses (NL63, 229E, and OC43). The study confirms community-acquired RV associated with ARI in children and suggests modulating roles for abiotic factors in RV epidemiology. However, community-based studies are needed to elucidate how these factors locally influence RV epidemiology. J. Med. Virol. 89:195-201, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Shamsudeen F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Fagbo
authors.affiliation: King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Musa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Garbati
authors.affiliation: King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Rami
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hasan
authors.affiliation: King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Dayel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: AlShahrani
authors.affiliation: King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Shehri
authors.affiliation: King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Tariq
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: AlFawaz
authors.affiliation: King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hakawi
authors.affiliation: King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Tariq Ahmad
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Wani
authors.affiliation: King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Skakni
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D013696:Temperature; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D014780:Viruses / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*
keywords: MERS-CoV; acute respiratory illness; multiplex molecular testing platform; pediatrics; respiratory viruses; season