Adenoviral Lower Respiratory Tract Infection of Children in Korea from 1990 Through 1998

Hong, Jung Youn; Lee, Hoan Jong

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study is to know the clinical manifestations and the severity of adenoviral lower respiratory tract infections(LRTI) in Korean children.
METHODS
Adenoviral respiratory infection was diagnosed by viral culture in HEp-2 cell and indirect immunofluorescent technique with nasal aspirates. Isolated adenoviruses were typed by neutralization test. Retrospective chart review was done in patients with adenoviruses were typed by neutralization test. Retrospective chart review was done in patients with adenoviral lower respiratory tract infection, who were brought to Seoul National University Children's Hospital from November 1990 through February 1998.
RESULTS
Adenovirus was isolated in 87 cases. Of 84 cases serotyped, type 1 was recovered in 3 cases, type 2 in 13 cases, type 3 in 13, type 4 and 5 in 4 cases each other, type 6 in 1 cases, type 7 in 36 cases, type 11 in 1 case and the other types in 9 cases. Adenoviral lower respiratory infection occurred sporadically throughout the year but from November 1995 through February 1998, an outbreak of adenovirus type 7 lower respiratory infection was observed in number upto 36 case. The incidence of adenoviral infection peaked in young children between 6 months and 5 years of age and the mean age was 1 year 11 months old. There were 10 cases of mixed infection with another pathogen. Clinical diagnosis were pneumonia(88%), acute broncholitis(5.4%), acute tracheobronchitis(5.4%), croup(1.3%). The clinical features of adenoviral lower respiratory infection were severe especially in type 3 and 7 infections in aspect of fever duration, ventilator care. Extrapulmonary manifestations were gastointestinal symptoms in 23 cases(31%), hepatomegaly in 36 cases(53%), seizure and mental alteration in 13 cases(20.3%). In chest radiographic findings, parahilar and peribronchial infiltration were in 49 cases(67%), hyperaeration in 21 cases(29%), atelectasis in 14 cases(19%), consolidation in 39 cases(53%) and bilateral pneumonic infiltration in 28 cases(38%). Among thirty six adenovirus type 7 LRTI, 15 patients(41.6%) had pleural effusion and 3 patients had chest tube insertion. Number of fetal cases related to adenovirus were 9 cases(12%) and fetal cases due to ventilatory failure were 7(11%).
CONCLUSION
During 7 year period of studying adenoviral lower respiratory infection, we identified the serotypes of adenovirus. Among the serotypes, adenovirus type 7 were epidemically isolated. Adenovirus were isolated in severe lower respiratory infection of young children aged between 6 months and 5 years and related to death of the patients, especially when the patients had underlyng diseases or were infected by adenovirus type 7.