Pediatr Allergy Respir Dis.  1999 Mar;9(1):100-108.

Epidemiology of Childhood Viral Respiratory Tract Infections in Seoul

• Lee SY
• Oh JW
• Lee HB
• Lee HR
• Ahn KM
• Lee SI

Abstract

PURPOSE
Acute lower respiratory tract infections (LRI) are important causes of pediatric morbidity and mortality. Recently among the common pathogens causing acute LRI in children respiratory viruses are apparently increasing rather than bacteria and mycoplasma in Korea. This study was aimed to define the distribution of age, seasonal variation and clinical manifestation of respiratory virus in children.
METHODS
All 328 children in Seoul, who had hospitalized at the Pediatric ward of Hanyang University (138 children), Hallym University (61 children) and Sungkunkwan University (129 children) for the treatment of respiratory diseases were studied from March, 1997 to February, 1998. In nasopharyngeal aspirates obtained from these patients viral agents were detected by virus isolation and/or antigen detection by indirect immunofluorescent staining. But the subjects who was not found respiratory virus were excluded, although respiratory symptoms were present.
RESULTS
1) One or more agents were identified in 328 subjects. 2) The pathogens identified were Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV : 44.7%), influenza A virus (25.6 %), parainfluenza virus (14.6%), influenza B virus (14.3%), adenovirus (4.3%) and two or more viruses (3%). 3) Infections with RSV, parainfluenza virus and influenza A and B virus occured in epidemics, while adenovirus was isolated sporadically throughout the study period. 4) Clinical patterns of viral LRI were pneumonia (39%), bronchiolitis (34%), croup (18%), acute pharyngitis (7%) and asthma (2%).
CONCLUSIONS
RSV was the most important in viral respiratory tract infection in children. Clinical manifestation and epidemic characterics were variable according to the agent. Accordingly, we should acknowledge the importance of respiratory virus to cause the repiratory tract diseases in children.

Keyword

Respiratory tract infection; Respiratory syncytial virus; Influenza A and B virus; Parainfluenza virus; Adenovirus

MeSH Terms

Adenoviridae
Asthma
Bacteria
Bronchiolitis
Child
Croup
Epidemiology*
Herpesvirus 1, Cercopithecine
Humans
Influenza A virus
Influenza B virus
Influenza, Human
Korea
Mortality
Mycoplasma
Paramyxoviridae Infections
Pharyngitis
Pneumonia
Respiratory Syncytial Viruses
Respiratory System*
Respiratory Tract Infections*
Seasons
Seoul*