Rapid detection and clinical features of infants and young children with acute lower respiratory tract infection due to respiratory syncytial virus

• Published in: FEMS immunology and medical microbiology Vol. 47; no. 1; pp. 129 - 133
• Main Authors: Meqdam, Mamdoh M., Subaih, Sami H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.06.2006; Blackwell; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Age Factors; Antibiotics; Biological and medical sciences; Bronchiolitis - virology; Bronchopneumonia; Bronchopneumonia - virology; Child; Child, Preschool; Children; Cough - virology; Diagnostic software; Diagnostic systems; Female; Fluorescein; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; immunofluorescence; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infants; Male; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Monoclonal antibodies; Patients; Physicians; Respiratory syncytial virus; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections - complications; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections - epidemiology; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections - virology; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses - isolation & purification; Respiratory tract; Respiratory tract diseases; Respiratory tract infection; RSV; Saudi Arabia; Saudi Arabia - epidemiology; Sex Factors; Virology; Viruses; Wheezing; Saudi Arabia; Asia; Saudi Arabia; RSV; respiratory tract infection; immunofluorescence; Human; Lung disease; Microbiology; Respiratory disease; Acute; Infant; Respiratory system; Virus; Respiratory tract; Immunology; Detection; Immunofluorescence; Child; Pneumopathy
• ISSN: 0928-8244; 1574-695X; 2049-632X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-695X.2006.00073.x

Abstract During December to the end of February of 2003 and 2004, a total of 282 nasopharyngeal aspirates were obtained from infants and young children admitted to the Buraidah Maternity and Pediatric Hospital, Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia, and clinically diagnosed as suffering from acute lower respiratory tract infections. The aspirates were tested for the presence of respiratory syncytial virus using direct fluorescein-labeled monoclonal antibody assay. Of the 282 specimens, 128 (45.4%) were found to be positive for respiratory syncytial virus. The most positive specimens came from patients less than one year old (51.3%), and were associated with bronchopneumonia (56.7%) or bronchiolits (55.4%). Coughing (100%) and tachpnea (98%) were significantly more frequent in infants with respiratory syncytial virus infection, followed by wheezing, crepitation and retraction, each representing 66%. Three deaths were reported. The availability of a rapid viral diagnostic assay will be an important tool for physicians to make more accurate treatment decisions and therefore reduce unnecessary antibiotic usage and hospital stay for the patients.