Pediatr Allergy Respir Dis.
2003 Dec;13(4):216-226.
An Epidemiological Study of Acute Viral Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in Hospitalized Children from 1996 to 2002 in Seoul, Korea
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Pediatrics, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Samsung Seoul Medical Center, Korea.
- 2Department of Clinical Pathology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Samsung Seoul Medical Center, Korea.
- 3Masan Samsung Medical Center, Korea.
- 4Department of Pediatrics, Dankook University College of Medicine, Korea.
- 5Department of Pediatrics, Ewha womans University school of Medicine, Korea.
Abstract
- PURPOSE
Acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRI) are one of the most common causes of morbidity in children. Most infections are known to be caused by virus and bacteria, greater percentage caused by virus than bacteria. This study was aimed to define the viral etiologic agents, age distribution, clinical manifestations, and seasonal occurrences of viral ALRI in Korean children, during 1996 and 2002. METHODS: A total of 4, 311 patients who had been hospitalized for ALRI at Samsung Medical Center, from March 1996 to September 2002, were studied. Nasopharyngeal aspirates were obtained for virus culture. Respiratory viruses were identified by indirect immunofluorescent staining. RESULTS: One or more viral agents were isolated in 14.8% (639 cases). The pathogens identified were RSV (21.8%), influenza virus type A (21.3%), adenovirus (20.7%), parainfluenza virus type 3 and 1 (17.4%, 8.3%), influenza virus type B (7.4%). The clinical patterns of viral ALRI were pneumonia (49%), bronchiolitis (22%), tracheobronchitis (15%) and croup (14%). The occurrence of viral ALRI was highest in the 1st year of life. Pneumonia was developed mostly by adenovirus. The most frequent cause of bronchiolitis was RSV. Croup was frequently caused by parainfluenza and influenza virus. Infections with influenza virus type A, B, parainfluenza virus type 1, 3, and RSV occurred in epidemics, whereas adenovirus was isolated throughout the study period. CONCLUSION: These data expand our understanding of the etiology of ALRI among pediatric inpatients in Seoul, Korea and may contribute to the prevention and control of viral respiratory tract infection.
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