Viral Etiologic Agents in Acute Viral Lower Respiratory Tract Detected by Multiplex RT-PCR / 소아알레르기및호흡기학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE:This study was performed to examine seasonal occurrences of respiratory viruses and detect viral etiologic agents, by multiplex RT-PCR in children with acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRI). METHODS:Nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPA) were collected from 654 hospitalized children with ALRI on admission at Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital and analysed by multiplex RT-PCR between January 2005 and December 2005. RESULTS:Viral agents were detected from 234 subjects (35.8%). The identified viral pathogens were respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (34.2%), adenovirus (33.8%), parainfluenza virus (21.8%), influenza virus type A (8.1%) and influenza virus type B (2.1%). Viral ALRI occurred most frenquently during the 1st year of life. Clinical diagnoses of viral ALRI included pneumonia (72.2%), bronchiolitis (14.5%), tracheobronchitis (9.8%) and croup (3.5%). The most common cause of bronchiolitis was RSV. Common clinical symptoms and signs of viral ALRI were cough (93.4%), fever (78.2%), rhinorrhea (72.5%), rale (60.2%), and wheezing (26.2%). CONCLUSION:Viral agents were detected by multiplex RT-PCR in 35.8% of NPA obtained from 654 hospitalized patients with acute respiratory tract infections. Multiplex RT-PCR may be useful for detecting virus in children.