Viral etiology of acute respiratory infections in children in Southern Iran

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Mehrdad Halaji, Tayebeh Hashempour, Javad Moayedi, Gholam Reza Pouladfar, Behzad Khansarinejad, Reza Khashei, Afagh Moattari, Zahra Musavi, Farzaneh Ghassabi, Neda Pirbonyeh
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT)
• Subjects: Acute respiratory infections; Respiratory syncytial vírus; Influenza A vírus; Human metapneumovirus; Real-time polymerase chain reaction; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic; Aris
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0249-2018; https://doaj.org/article/c1b5d14a9dba46c89c40cd716d6b4c62

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Prevalence of influenza A virus (Flu-A), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and human metapneumovirus (hMPV) was assessed in children with acute respiratory infections (ARIs). METHODS: Nasopharyngeal aspirates and throat swabs were subjected to real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect RSV and Flu-A and to conventional PCR to detect hMPV. RESULTS: Of the 156 children assessed, 93 (59.6%) carried at least one virus, with 35.9% positive for RSV, 14.1% for hMPV, and 9.6% for Flu-A. The prevalence of co-infections was 2.6%. CONCLUSIONS: The high detection rate may reflect increased sensitivity of real-time PCR compared to traditional PCR and viral culture.