Korean J Asthma Allergy Clin Immunol.  2007 Dec;27(4):241-247.

The Prevalence of Respiratory Viral Infection in Exacerbation of Asthma in Hospitalized Children

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Respiratory viral infections are common exacerbating factors for asthma in children. Recently the detection of respiratory viruses can be improved by using molecular biology techniques, which providing a method capable of detecting an increasing number of viruses.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the causative viral infections and their seasonal trends in children who were admitted with the exacerbation of their asthma by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. METHOD: Nasopharyngeal aspirates were obtained from hospitalized asthmatic children at Dankook University Hospital from November 2005 through Febraury 2007. Multiplex PCR assay was used for the detection of respiratory viruses. The demographic and clinical characteristics were reviewed retrospectively from the patients' medical records. RESULT: During the study period, 58 were hospitalized due to acute asthma exacerbations. Of these, infectious agents were detected in 38 (65.5%) of the patients. Resipiratoy syncytial virus was detected in 18 (31%), influenza virus in 10 (17.2%), rhinovirus in 7 (12.1%), coronavirus in 5 (8.6%), adenovirus in 4 (6.9%), parainfluenza virus in 5 (8.6%) and human metapneumovirus in 2 (3.4%).
CONCLUSION
It is suggested that the causative virus in hospitalized children with asthma exacerbations follow may the epidemic of respiratory virus in hospitalized children with respiratory infection.

MeSH Terms

Adenoviridae
Asthma*
Child
Child, Hospitalized*
Coronavirus
Humans
Medical Records
Metapneumovirus
Molecular Biology
Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction
Orthomyxoviridae
Paramyxoviridae Infections
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Prevalence*
Retrospective Studies
Rhinovirus
Seasons