RSV Associated Disease in Hospitalized Children in Southeast Brazil: Higher Frequency in Older Children Than in Infants

Abstract

Respiratory tract infection can lead to diseases such as pneumonia, bronchospasm, bronchiolitis and pleural effusion, and consequently to hospitalization. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of viruses in hospitalized children with respiratory tract infection and to assess the correlation between lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) and the viruses studied. We screened children from 0 to 6 years of age (1.4%) FLUB, in 3 (1.1%) FLUA and 1 (0.4%) PIV2. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between viral infection and bronchiolitis (43/44 cases: 97.8%; p≤0.001) and RSV infection and bronchiolitis (30/44 cases: 68.2%; p≤0.001). Finally, this study has confirmed that not only is RSV the most important virus in association with bronchilitis in infants, but also can be frequently detected in children between 2 and 5 years of age hospitalized for ARI in this region. In addition, HRV was frequently detected in association with ARI requiring hospitalization.