Highlights
- •RSV was detected in 6% of all acute respiratory infections at 0–24 months of age.
- •The estimated annual rate of RSV infections was 37 per 100 children at age 0–24 months.
- •RSV infections associated with 34 physician visits and 16 antibiotic treatments per 100 children annually.
- •RSV infections cause a high disease burden in young children in the community.
Abstract
Objectives
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of hospitalization in young children,
but there are little data on RSV infections in early childhood in the community. We
conducted a prospective population-based birth-cohort study to determine the rates
and characteristics of RSV infections in young children.
Methods
We followed 923 children for acute respiratory infections (ARIs) from birth to age
24 months with daily diaries and study clinic visits. Nasal swab samples were obtained
at the onset of ARIs and analyzed for RSV by RT-PCR and antigen tests. The rates of
RSV infections and associated outcomes were estimated.
Results
RSV was detected in 289 (6%) of 4728 ARIs with a nasal sample. The mean estimated
annual rate of RSV infections was 37 (95% confidence interval [CI], 35–38) per 100
children at age 0–24 months. For RSV-associated outcomes, the estimated annual rates
per 100 children were 34 (95% CI, 32–37) physician visits, 16 (95% CI, 15–17) antibiotic
treatments, 12 (95% CI, 11–13) acute otitis media, and 6 (95% CI, 4–7) wheezing illnesses.
The prevalence of RSV was 0.6% in asymptomatic children.
Conclusions
RSV infections impose a high burden of disease in healthy young children in the community.
Keywords
Abbreviations:
AOM (acute otitis media), ARI (acute respiratory infection), CI (confidence interval), LRTI (lower respiratory tract infection), RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), RT-PCR (real-time, quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction), STEPS (Steps to the Healthy Development and Well-being of Children)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article Info
Publication History
Published online: September 12, 2019
Accepted:
September 7,
2019
Identification
Copyright
© 2019 The British Infection Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
