Respiratory syncytial virus infection in a Sicilian pediatric population: Risk factors, epidemiology, and severity

Abstract

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of hospitalization for lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in young children worldwide. This study evaluated the epidemiological and clinical patterns of RSV infection in infants hospitalized for LRTIs in Sicily. Over a 7-month period (October 1, 2005 to April 30, 2006), all children <2 years of age hospitalized for LRTIs were evaluated and tested for respiratory viruses. Logistic regression was used to identify the risk factors associated with RSV infection and with more severe disease. One hundred sixty-four children were enrolled and 40.9% were found to be RSV(+). The epidemic peak of RSV occurred in April, and no cases were observed in October, November, and December. RSV Infections had the highest incidence in children <3 months of age (54.7%). The likelihood to be RSV(+) rather than RSV(-) was lower for female gender and children >6 months old, with a gestational age (GA) of >36 weeks, with a birth weight of >2.50 g, with previous hospitalizations due to LRTI, with smokers in the household, and with a history of breast-feeding (p < 0.05 for each). RSV infection was associated with a higher likelihood to be admitted to neonatal intensive care units and to longer hospitalizations (p = 0.061). The collected data show that, in Sicily, RSV is an important cause of LRTIs in infants and a variety of factors, such as gender, chronological age at hospitalization, GA, birth weight, and exposure to tobacco smoke and breast-feeding may affect the prevalence of RSV-related lower respiratory tract disease and, possibly, the risk of developing asthma-like symptoms during the school years.

Gene Expression of Nucleic Acid-Sensing Pattern Recognition Receptors in Children Hospitalized for Respiratory Syncytial Virus-Associated Acute Bronchiolitis

“…However, a variety of factors could influence either the viral survival or infectivity of respiratory viruses, such as meteorological factors, seasonal variations in social behavior, air pollution, and subgroup-specific immune responses throughout (11,13,22,39). Indirectly such factors are important in the rate of detection of respiratory viruses from infants with lower respiratory tract illnesses.…”

RSV infection – Risk factors, complications and treatment in two Portuguese hospitals

“…We found that newborns, white children and children having older siblings had a higher risk of developing complications. Except for newborns, these weren't traditional risk factors identified in other studies of RSV infections [1,3,9,[12][13][14][15][16], perhaps because they were considered only factors of increased risk of acquiring RSV disease.…”

Respiratory syncytial virus and adenovirus in acute lower respiratory infections in hospitalized infants and children

“…When we investigated the various subject or environmental characteristics known to favor the onset of viral LRTIs (male sex, breast feeding, prematurity, atopy, exposure to tobacco smoke, crowding, dampness and pets at home) [29,[39][40][41], we found that none of them differed in patients infected with RSV, HAdV or any of these two infections. Further studies enrolling a larger study sample are needed to assess risk factors for specific viral LRTIs between age-matched patients.…”