Abstract
Only few data are available on the epidemiology of rhinovirus infections and their contribution to viral respiratory tract infections in children. We have therefore started a long term study to investigate the disease incidence in relation to season, age, socioeconomic, environmental, and somatic factors. Nasopharyngeal aspirates were screened for the presence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenoviruses (AD), parainfluenza virus type I,II,III (PI,II,III), influenza virus type A and B (I-A,I-B), enteroviruses (ENT), and rhinoviruses (RHV) by enzyme immunoassay and tissue culture isolation procedure. Preliminary results are as follows: From October 1984 to March 1985, nasopharyngeal aspirates were obtained from 254 children (86.2% hospitalized, 13.8% outpatients) aged 1 month to a years. In 54.9% an upper (URI) and in 45.1% a lower respiratory tract infection (LRI) was the reason for medical consultation. 17% of the URI were due to RSV and 11% due to RHV. RSV was recovered in 36.2% and RHV in 6.7% of the specimens derived from patients with LRI. Family size had no influence on the attack rate of respiratory tract infections. A higher incidence and a more severe clinical course of respiratory tract disease was found in children exposed to parental smoking. Similar results were obtained in children from families with a history of chronic respiratory tract disease.
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Kern, G., Popow-Kraupp, T., Kundi, M. et al. RESPIRATORY VIRAL INFECTIONS IN YOUNG HOSPITALIZED CHILDREN AND OUTPATIENTS IN AUSTRIA. PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF A LONG TERM STUDY. Pediatr Res 19, 1111 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198510000-00246
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198510000-00246