title: Etiology and Clinical Characteristics of Single and Multiple Respiratory Virus Infections Diagnosed in Croatian Children in Two Respiratory Seasons.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the causative agent of acute respiratory infection (ARI) in hospitalized children, as well as investigate the characteristics of ARIs with single and multiple virus detection in two respiratory seasons. In 2010 and 2015, nasopharyngeal and pharyngeal swabs from a total of 134 children, admitted to the hospital due to ARI, were tested using multiplex PCR. Viral etiology was established in 81.3% of the patients. Coinfection with two viruses was diagnosed in 27.6% of the patients, and concurrent detection of three or more viruses was diagnosed in 12.8% of the patients. The most commonly diagnosed virus in both seasons combined was respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (28.6%), followed by parainfluenza viruses (PIVs) types 1-3 (18.4%), rhinovirus (HRV) (14.3%), human metapneumovirus (10.1%), adenovirus (AdV) (7.1%), influenza viruses types A and B (4.8%), and coronaviruses (4.2%). In 2015, additional pathogens were investigated with the following detection rate: enterovirus (13.2%), bocavirus (HBoV) (10.5%), PIV-4 (2.6%), and parechovirus (1.3%). There were no statistical differences between single and multiple virus infection regarding patients age, localization of infection, and severity of disease (P > 0.05). AdV, HRV, HBoV, and PIVs were significantly more often detected in multiple virus infections compared to the other respiratory viruses (P < 0.001).
authors.affiliation: Medical Microbiology Department, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia; Clinical Microbiology Department, Teaching Institute of Public Health "Dr. Andrija Stampar", Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Sunčanica
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6405-6922
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ljubin-Sternak
authors.affiliation: Clinical Microbiology Department, Teaching Institute of Public Health "Dr. Andrija Stampar", Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Marijan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Children's Hospital Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia; Pediatric Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia.
authors.forename: Irena
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ivković-Jureković
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Children's Hospital Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Jasna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Čepin-Bogović
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Children's Hospital Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Alenka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gagro
authors.affiliation: Medical Microbiology Department, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia; Clinical Microbiology Department, Teaching Institute of Public Health "Dr. Andrija Stampar", Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Jasmina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vraneš