Highlights• Human rhinovirus is the most common virus in cases with pneumonia or bronchiolitis and in controls.• HIV-infected children were more likely to be diagnosed with pneumonia than bronchiolitis.• RSV was not identified in any HIV-infected cases compared with one third of HIVuninfected cases. AbstractBackground: Human rhinovirus (RV) is the most common respiratory virus and has been

Background Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is a hypersensitivity lung disease due to Aspergillus fumigatus (Af) which occurs in 10% of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). ABPA is associated with increased morbidity and accelerated lung function decline; however, existing diagnostic criteria are nonspecific and diagnosis remains challenging. As ABPA is driven by Th2 inflammation, the aim of this study was to evaluate exhaled nitric oxide (FE NO), eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP), peripheral eosinophil count, and bronchodilator response (BDR) in patients with CF. Methods A prospective observational cohort study of pediatric CF patients in a tertiary center. Patients had a clinical and serologic ABPA assessment, FENO, serum ECP, peripheral eosinophil count, and assessment of BDR. Patients were stratified into three groups; ABPA, Af sensitized (AFS), and non‐ABPA non‐Af‐sensitized (non‐AFS). Results A total of 62 patients were included in the study: 13% ABPA, 19% AFS, and 68% non‐AFS. Mean FENO was higher in the ABPA group at 37.8 ppb compared to AFS 15.1 ppb (P = .05) and non‐AFS 13.7 ppb (P = .04). Mean peripheral eosinophil count in ABPA group was also higher at 1000 cells/uL, compared to AFS 221 cells/uL (P = .03) and non‐AFS 220 cells/uL (P = .03). Mean BDR in ABPA group was 13% compared to 5.5% in non‐AFS (P = .01). Serum ECP was higher in patients with ABPA positive compared to the other groups, although this was not statistically significant. Conclusion In children with cystic fibrosis, FENO and peripheral eosinophil counts are elevated in ABPA compared to those that are just sensitized to Aspergillus and may serve as useful diagnostic tests.

Introduction. Asthma is the commonest chronic condition of children. Diagnosis of this condition remains difficult. Many surrogate markers are used, such as documenting evidence of atopy. Method. A random sample of asthmatic children and their mothers attending the Children's Chest and Allergy Clinic at Steve Biko Academic Hospital were enrolled. Children were classified as having atopic or nonatopic asthma. Mothers completed a questionnaire to uncover atopic features. Results. Along with their mothers, 64 children with atopic asthma and 36 with nonatopic asthma were studied. The proportion of children with atopic asthma does not differ for mothers with and without a positive SPT (P = 0.836), a history of asthma (P = 0.045), symptoms suggestive of an allergic disease (P = 1.000), or who were considered to be allergic (P = 0.806). The odds ratio of a child having atopic asthma when having a mother with a doctor diagnosed history of asthma is 4.76, but the sensitivity is low (21.9%). Conclusion. The data demonstrates that all maternal allergic or asthmatic associations are poor predictors of childhood atopic asthma. Despite the increased risk of atopic asthma in a child to a mother that has a doctor diagnosis of asthma (OR 4.76 P = 0.045), this is a poor predictor of atopic asthma (sensitivity 21.9%).