Epidemiology and Prevention of Pediatric Viral Respiratory Infections in Health-Care Institutions

Abstract

Nosocomial viral respiratory infections cause considerable illness and death on pediatric wards. Common causes of these infections include respiratory syncytial virus and influenza. While primarily a community pathogen, rhinovirus also occasionally results in hospitalization and serious sequelae. This article reviews effective infection control interventions for these three pathogens, as well as ongoing controversies.

Keywords

• Nosocomial infection
• virus
• respiratory syncytial virus
• influenza
• rhinovirus
• United States