Contribution of viruses to severe pneumonia in children

ObjectiveCommunity acquired pneumonia (CAP) accounts for more than two million deaths per year in children less than 5 years of age, mostly in developing countries. Viruses causing CAP have been identified in up to 50% of patients in studies using the real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This study aimed at screening of viral etiology among hospitalized children with severe pneumonia.MethodsIn this prospective study conducted at Cairo University Children’s Hospital from 31st March 2010 to 1st April 2011 on 733 children admitted with a clinical and radiological diagnosis of pneumonia, nasopharyngeal or throat swabs were analyzed for common respiratory viruses, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus (hMPV), influenza B (Flu B), human parainfluenza virus (hPIV), influenza A (H1N1) and adenovirus (ADV) using the real time PCR technique.ResultsOne or more respiratory viruses were detected in 311 patients. RSV was the most commonly detected virus isolated in 197(63.3%) followed by hPIV in 38(12.2%), hMPV in 34(10.9%) and ADV in 26(8.4%) patients. Six cases were positive for H1N1 making the virus the second least common, after Flu B, identified in a single patient in our study. Mixed infection with more than one respiratory virus was detected in 156(45%) cases.ConclusionRSV was the most predominantly isolated virus from all patients in addition to being the most common single virus to cause pneumonia in children with chronic diseases. Although the most commonly isolated virus in our study, RSV came third in causing complications following hPIV & H1N1, but this observation cannot be applied to the community.