Study on the etiological and clinical characteristics from 2 665 children with acute upper respiratory tract infections

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to evaluate the etiological and clinical characteristics of acute upper respiratory tract infections in children from GuangZhou, China. A total of 2 665 nose swabs specimen collected from children with acute upper respiratory tract infections from Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China during November 2009 to September 2015 were enrolled in this study. There were 1 566 virus positive responses were detected in samples from 2665 child patients with acute upper respiratory infections, with the positive rate of 58.8%. The positive rates were 22.5% for respiratory sycytial virus (RSV), 13.0% for rhinovirus (HRV), 9.0% for influenza virus (FLU), 7.6% for parainfluenza virus (PIV), 6.1% for adenovirus (AdV), 4.0% for human metapneumovirus (HMPV), 3.7% for human coronavirus (HCOV), 3.5% for human Bocavirus (HBOV). There was statistical significant in the detection rates of 8 respiratory viruses in different seasons, with the highest in spring, followed by summer and winter, and lowest in autumn. The respiratory virus infection rate of children gradually decreased with age, with a positive detection rate of 67.0% between children aged 0-3 years. And the respiratory virus detection rate of boys was significantly higher than that of girls. The co-infection rates were higher in child patients aged 0-3 years, and were higher during spring and summer than that of autumn and winter. Cough is the main clinical symptom of acute upper respiratory virus infection, followed by sputum and runny nose. The clinical symptoms are different in children between 8 respiratory virus infections. This study increases our knowledge of the etiological and clinical characteristics of these 8 common respiratory viruses among children with respiratory tract infections. Which might also provide relevant data to guide clinical treatment and prevention.