Respiratory picornaviruses and respiratory syncytial virus as causative agents of acute expiratory wheezing in children

: Jartti T, Lehtinen P, Vuorinen T, Osterback R, van den Hoogen B, Osterhaus ADME, Ruuskanen O

Publisher: CENTER DISEASE CONTROL

: 2004

Emerging Infectious Diseases

EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES

: EMERG INFECT DIS

: 10

: 6

: 1095

: 1101

: 7

: 1080-6040

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1006.030629

We studied the viral etiology of acute expiratory wheezing (bronchiolitis, acute asthma) in 293 hospitalized children in a 2-year prospective study in Finland. A potential causative viral agent was detected in 88% of the cases. Eleven different viruses were represented. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (27%), enteroviruses (25%), rhinovirus (24%), and nontypable rhino/enterovirus (16%) were found most frequently. In infants, RSV was found in 54% and respiratory picornaviruses (rhinovirus and enteroviruses) in 42% of the cases. In older children, respiratory picornaviruses dominated (65% of children ages 1-2 years and 82% of children ages greater than or equal to3 years). Human metapneumovirus was detected in 4% of all children and in 11% of infants. To prevent and treat acute expiratory wheezing illnesses in children, efforts should be focused on RSV, enterovirus, and rhinovirus infections.