RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Although fewer children have been affected by the severe form of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) continues to be the leading global cause of child hospitalizations and deaths. AIM: This study investigated the incidence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as well its subtypes (RSV A and B), adenovirus (ADV), rhinovirus (HRV), metapneumovirus (HMPV), coronavirus (NL63, OC43, 229E and HKU1), parainfluenza virus subtypes (PI1, PI2 and PI3), bocavirus and influenza A and B viruses (FluA and FluB) in children diagnosed with CAP during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A total of 200 children with clinically confirmed CAP were initially recruited, of whom 107 had negative qPCR results for SARS-CoV-2 and were included in this study. Viral subtypes were identified using a real-time polymerase chain reaction in the nasopharyngeal swab samples. RESULTS: Viruses were identified in 69.2% of the patients. RSV infections were the most frequently identified (65.4%), with type RSV B being the most prevalent (63.5%). In addition, HCoV 229E and HRV were detected in 6.5% and 3.7% of the patients, respectively. RSV type B was associated with severe acute respiratory infection (ARI) and a younger age (less than 24 months). CONCLUSIONS: New strategies for preventing and treating viral respiratory infections, particularly RSV infections, are necessary.
Assuntos
COVID-19 , Infecções Comunitárias Adquiridas , Pneumonia , Infecções por Vírus Respiratório Sincicial , Vírus Sincicial Respiratório Humano , Infecções Respiratórias , Humanos , Criança , Lactente , Pré-Escolar , Incidência , Brasil/epidemiologia , Pandemias , COVID-19/epidemiologia , SARS-CoV-2 , Vírus Sincicial Respiratório Humano/genética , Pneumonia/epidemiologia , Infecções por Vírus Respiratório Sincicial/epidemiologia , Infecções Comunitárias Adquiridas/epidemiologiaRESUMO
Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the leading cause of child death worldwide. Viruses are the most common pathogens associated with CAP in children, but their incidence varies greatly. This study investigated the presence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenovirus, human rhinovirus (HRV), human metapneumovirus (HMPV), human coronavirus (HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-NL63), and influenza A virus (FluA) in children with CAP and the contributing risk factors. Here, children with acute respiratory infections were screened by pediatrics; and a total of 150 radiographically-confirmed CAP patients (aged 3 months to 10 years) from two clinical centers in Sao Luis, Brazil were recruited. Patient's clinical and epidemiological data were recorded. Nasopharyngeal swab and tracheal aspirate samples were collected to extract viral nucleic acid. RSV, adenovirus, rhinovirus, FluA, HMPV, HCoV-OC43, and HCoV-NL63 were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The severe CAP was associated with ages between 3 and 12 months. Viruses were detected in 43% of CAP patients. Rhinovirus infections were the most frequently identified (68%). RSV, adenovirus, FluA, and coinfections were identified in 14%, 14%, 5%, and 15% of children with viral infection, respectively. Rhinovirus was associated with nonsevere CAP (P = .014); RSV, FluA, and coinfections were associated with severe CAP (P < .05). New strategies for prevention and treatment of viral respiratory infections, mainly rhinovirus and RSV infections, are necessary.