New Respiratory Viruses in Infants with Bronchoobstructive Syndrome

Abstract

The objective of our study was to identify new respiratory viruses in infants with bronchoobstructive syndrome (obstructive bronchitis and exacerbation of bronchial asthma). We examined 28 children aged from 5 months to 6 years. The average age of the patients was 33.7 months (95% CI 24.5–43.0). Viruses have been identified in 75 % of patients. In 39.3 % we found bocavirus. Metapneumovirus was detected in 10.7 % of patients. Exacerbation of bronchial asthma 2.3 times more likely was associated with bocavirus infection compared to patients with obstructive bronchitis (RR = 2.3 (95% CI 0.9–6.2)). Duration of bronchoobstructive syndrome in children with bronchial asthma was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) than in children with obstructive bronchitis — 5.3 days (95% CI 4.1–6.4) versus 2.7 days (95% CI 2.3–3.1). The findings confirm a significant role of viral infection and new respiratory viruses in causing bronchoobstructive syndrome in children.

Keywords

• children
• bronchial asthma
• viruses
• bocavirus