Respiratory Pathogens in Children with and without Respiratory Symptoms - 08/08/11
, Bart E. van Ewijk, MD, PhD a, Berry Wilbrink, PhD d, Cuno S.P.M. Uiterwaal, MD, PhD c, Tom F.W. Wolfs, MD, PhD b, Cornelis K. van der Ent, MD, PhD a
Reprint requests: Marieke M. van der Zalm, MD, Department of Pediatrics, Respiratory Diseases, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Utrecht, PO Box 85090, Office KH 01.419.0, 3508 AB Utrecht, The NetherlandsRésumé |
Objectives |
To investigate the occurrence of respiratory pathogens in samples from children with and without respiratory symptoms and to identify whether age and/ or coinfections modify the impact of respiratory pathogens on symptoms.
Study design |
In a prospective longitudinal study, 18 children were sampled biweekly for respiratory pathogens, irrespective of respiratory symptoms. Polymerase chain reaction was performed for 13 respiratory pathogens. Episodes were defined “asymptomatic” if no symptoms of any respiratory tract illness were present between 1 week before and 1 week after sampling.
Results |
A total of 230 samples were collected. In 56% of the symptomatic episodes, a pathogen was detected, compared with 40% of the asymptomatic episodes (P = .03). Rhinovirus and coronaviruses were most prevalent in both symptomatic and asymptomatic episodes. In the youngest children, 9% of the pathogen-positive episodes were asymptomatic, compared with 36% in the oldest children (P = .01). Multiple pathogens were found in 17% of the symptomatic episodes and in 3% of the asymptomatic episodes (P = .02).
Conclusions |
Respiratory pathogens are frequently detected in samples from children with no respiratory symptoms. Symptomatic cases occurred more often in younger children and with detections of more than 1 respiratory pathogen.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Abbreviations : PCR, RSV
Plan
| Supported by a MD/PhD grant from the University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands (to M.vdZ.) and a fellowship from the Wilhelmina Children's Hospital Research Fund (to B.vE.). None of the authors reports any conflict of interest. |
Vol 154 - N° 3
P. 396 - mars 2009 Retour au numéro
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