ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Respiratory viruses are widespread in the community and easily transmitted to immunocompromised patients. AIMS: Assess the prevalence of community-acquired respiratory viral infections among children with cancer presenting with clinical picture suggestive of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs), and evaluate its risk factors and prognosis. METHODS: Over a year, 90 hospitalized children with malignancy and LRTIs recruited, subjected to clinical assessment, investigated through hematology panel, blood culture, chest x-ray, CT chest and PCR for influenza A and B, parainfluenza (PIV) types 1 and 3 viruses, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and prospectively followed up for the clinical outcome. RESULTS: Viral pathogens were identified in 34 patients (37.7%), with a seasonal peak from April to May. The most frequently detected virus was influenza virus [type A (16 cases; 47%), type B (4 cases; 12%)] followed by parainfluenza virus [PIV1 (9 cases; 26%), PIV3 (3 cases; 15%)], and none had RSV. Bacteria were identified in 26 patients, fungi in four, mixed infections [bacterial/viral and bacterial/fungal] in 13, and 36 cases had unidentified etiology. The majority of patients with influenza and parainfluenza infections had hematological malignancy, presented with fever, and had mild self-limited respiratory illness. Five patients with mixed viral and bacterial infection had severe symptoms necessitating ICU admission. Six patients died from infection-related sequelae; two had mixed PIV and Staphylococcal infections. CONCLUSIONS: Community acquired influenza and parainfluenza infections are common in pediatrics patients with malignancy, either as isolated or mixed viral/bacterial infections. Clinical suspicion is essential as hematological and radiological manifestations are nonspecific. Rapid diagnosis and management are mandatory to improve patients' outcome.