Acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children worldwide including Sri Lanka. This study was undertaken to determine the viral causes and clinical manifestations of ARTI in pre-school children (Age 3 years) from the Kegalle area of the Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka. Nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPAs) from 98 children 3 years presenting with ARTI were tested by indirect (screening) and direct (typing) immunofluorescence assay for the presence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza A and B, parainfluenza viruses 1, 2 and 3 and adenoviruses. A respiratory virus was detected in 32.3% of cases: RSV 90%, parainfluenza type 2 virus 6% and influenza virus 4%. Detection of RSV was associated with severe cases of bronchiolitis requiring hospitalization. These findings show the importance of viral pathogens in ARTI in pre-school children in Sri Lanka and highlight the diversity of viral pathogens detected in this age group.

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Neurofibromatosis is a genetic disorder with multisystem involvement. Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours (MPNST) are one of the soft tissue sarcomas associated with neurofibromatosis type1 (NF-1). These tumours are relatively rare and mostly occur in proximal portions of the upper and lower extremities and the trunk. MPNST of the thoracic cavity has rarely been reported. This case report describes a woman with NF-1 who presented with progressive dyspnoea and was found to have a mass in the thoracic cavity. She underwent partial resection and was found to have MPNST. Intrathoracic MPNST have a bad prognosis often needing neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiation pre/ post resection.