Prevalence of respiratory syncytial virus infection in hospitalized children at a children's hospital and effects of climate change on the prevalence in Suzhou, China / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the prevalence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in hospitalized children and the relationship between the prevalence and the climate change in Suzhou, China.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 42 664 nasopharyngeal secretions from hospitalized children with acute respiratory infection at the Suzhou Children's Hospital were screened for RSV antigens using direct immunofluorescence. Monthly meteorological data (mean monthly air temperature, monthly relative humidity, monthly rainfall, total monthly sunshine duration, and mean monthly wind velocity) in Suzhou between 2001 and 2011 were collected. The correlations between RSV detection rate and climatic factors were evaluated using correlation and stepwise regression analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The annual RSV infection rate in hospitalized children with respiratory infection in the Suzhou Children's Hospital varied between 11.85% and 27.30% from 2001 to 2011. In the 9 epidemic seasons, each spanning from November to April of the next year, from 2001 to 2010, the RSV detection rates were 40.75%, 22.72%, 39.93%, 27.37%, 42.71%, 21.28%, 38.57%, 19.86%, and 29.73%, respectively; there were significant differences in the detection rate between the epidemic seasons. The monthly RSV detection rate was negatively correlated with mean monthly air temperature, total monthly sunshine duration, monthly rainfall, monthly relative humidity, and mean monthly wind velocity (P<0.05). Stepwise regression analysis showed that mean monthly air temperature fitted into a linear model (R(2)=0.64, P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>From 2001 to 2011, RSV infection in Suzhou was predominantly prevalent between November and April of the next year. As a whole, the infection rate of RSV reached a peak every other year. Air temperature played an important role in the epidemics of RSV infection in Suzhou.</p>

Chest imaging findings in children with influenza A [H1N1]

To assess imaging findings at presentation in children diagnosed with influenza A [H1N1] infection. This is a retrospective observational cohort study conducted at The Children's Hospital affiliated to Soochow University, Suzhou, China between September 2009 and March 2010. Nasopharyngeal swabs and bronchial aspirate samples from 81 children with acute respiratory infections were tested positive for influenza A [H1N1] using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Chest imaging for these patients was analyzed retrospectively by 2 independent radiologists for the presence and distribution of abnormalities. Chest radiograph findings consisted of bilateral patchy areas of consolidation [n=48], diffuse areas of air-space consolidation [n=18], and lobar consolidation [n=7]. Eight chest x-rays were normal. Abnormalities were observed more frequently in the lower lobes [bilateral [n=66], unilateral [n=7]]. Computed tomography [CT] scans were performed in 18 cases with air-space consolidation and interstitial opacities. Cases with diffuse areas of airspace consolidation were followed-up after 3 months by high resolution CT imaging, which showed interstitial thickening. The predominant imaging findings in childhood influenza A [H1N1] were bilateral patchy areas of consolidation, followed by diffuse areas of airspace consolidation, normal radiographs, and lobar consolidation