The Effect of Respiratory Syncytial Virus on the Severity of Acute Bronchiolitis in Hospitalized Infants: A Prospective Study from Turkey

Abstract

Objectives: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of respiratory infections in infants and children. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical significance of respiratory infections as single pathogen RSV, respiratory viruses with RSV and those with bronchiolitis caused by other respiratory viruses. Methods: A total of 316 throat swabs were collected from children diagnosed with acute bronchiolitis. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to identify the viruses in the samples. The subjects were divided into three groups: single pathogen RSV, agents with RSV and agents without RSV. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the corelation between single and multiple RSV infection group and infections without RSV group for parameters including age, wheezing, supplemental oxygen therapy. Results: The overall positivity for viruses in the study was found to be 75% with a co-infection rate of 34.2%. Compared to children with RSV alone, children with any other agents accompanying RSV, were not very likely to have fever, wheezing or supplemental oxygen therapy. Conclusions:The findings of our study suggest that RSV still represents a large burden of bronchiolitis since it is associated with the hospitalization of children, particularly those less than six months old. We can not foresee the clinical presentation of specific agent or agents in connection to being with or without RSV in infants with any level of bronchiolitis. The study agrees with the concept that co infections with or without RSV do not increase the severity of the disease.

Etiology and Clinical characteristics of bronchiolitis in Suzhou

“…A prospective study from Turkey identified that the rate of coinfection among children with acute bronchiolitis was 34.2%, which is higher than the percentage observed in our study. 24 Similarly, a study from Israel showed that the rate of co-infectin in infants with acute bronchiolitis was nearly 40%, which is also higher than that in our study. 25 A UK study reported an even higher percentage of 46%.…”

Etiology and Clinical characteristics of bronchiolitis in Suzhou

“…A prospective study from Turkey identified that the rate of coinfection among children with acute bronchiolitis was 34.2%, which is higher than the percentage observed in our study. 25 Similarly, a study from Israel showed that the rate of co-infectin in infants with acute bronchiolitis was nearly 40%, which is also higher than that in our study. 26 A UK study reported an even higher percentage of 46%.…”

Why COVID-19 is less frequent and severe in children: a narrative review

“…Also, RSV is more prevalent in infancy. The WHO has reported RSV as a causative pathogen for over 30 million new cases of lower respiratory infection episodes, including acute bronchitis in children less than 5 years age [52]. Older siblings are a greater source of spreading infection than adults because they spend significant time in nurseries and schools [55].…”

“…Interestingly, what have shed light on this under representation comes from two studies that revealed multiple high-titer antibodies against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) in the blood of children appears to offer cross protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection [ 50 , 51 ]. Several studies have shown that children are more susceptible than adults to infection by RSV and MP [ 52 – 55 ]. MP has been reported in 10–40% of community-acquired pneumonia cases, and children with 5–15 years age are the most susceptible groups.…”