[An epidemiological study on human rhinovirus C in hospitalized children with respiratory tract infections].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the detection rates, epidemical characteristics, and clinical features of human rhinovirus C (HRV-C) in hospitalized children with respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in Suzhou, China.


METHODS
A total of 1 702 hospitalized children with RTIs from January to December, 2014 were enrolled, and 1 702 nasopharyngeal aspirate samples were collected from all children. RT-PCR was used to measure HRV mRNA, and quantitative real-time PCR combined with high-resolution melting curve was used to measure HRV-C.


RESULTS
Of all children, 244 (14.34%) were detected to have HRV infection, among whom 69 (69/244, 28.3%) had HRV-C infection. The rate of mixed infection of HRV-C with other viruses and bacteria was 61% (42/69). HRV-C was detected in each month of the year, and the detection rate of HRV-C in autumn was significantly higher than that in spring, summer, and winter (P<0.05). The children aged 2-5 years had a significantly higher detection rate of HRV-C than those in the other age groups (P<0.05). Compared with HRV-A/B infection, HRV-C infection led to significantly higher proportions of patients with lobar pneumonia and acute exacerbation of asthma (P<0.05), as well as patients with increased neutrophil count and CRP level (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in sex distribution or other clinical manifestations (P>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
HRV-C infection accounts for about 1/3 of HRV infection, with a high incidence rate in autumn. The rate of mixed infection of HRV-C with other viruses and bacteria is high, and children aged 2-5 years have the highest detection rate of HRV-C. Children with HRV-C infection have similar clinical manifestations as those with HRV-A/B infection.
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215003, China. yyd3060@126.com.
Li
L
Li
Wei
W
Ji
Xue-Jun
XJ
Shao
Jun
J
Xu
Wu-Jun
WJ
Jiang
Zheng-Rong
ZR
Chen
Yong-Dong
YD
Yan
D002648:Child; D002673:Child, Hospitalized; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000821:virology*; D012229:Rhinovirus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012621:Seasons