High Incidence of Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Children with Community-Acquired Pneumonia from a City in the Brazilian Pre-Amazon Region
Valéria Fontes,
Hivylla Ferreira,
Marilene Ribeiro,
Aruanã Pinheiro,
Carlos Maramaldo,
Eduardo Pereira,
Luís Batista,
Antonio Júnior,
Luis Lobato,
Fabiano Silva,
Luis Sousa,
Washington Lima,
Claudia Lima,
Suzany Soczek,
Rafael Carvalho,
Mirleide Santos,
Elizabeth Fernandes,
Eduardo Sousa,
Lidio Neto
Affiliations
Valéria Fontes
Laboratory of Virology, Post-Graduate Programme in Microbial Biology, CEUMA University, São Luís, MA 65075-120, Brazil
Hivylla Ferreira
Central Public Health Laboratory of Maranhão—LACEN-MA, Osvaldo Cruz Institute, São Luís, MA 65020-904, Brazil
Marilene Ribeiro
Hospital of Federal University of Maranhão, HU-UFMA, São Luís, MA 65020-070, Brazil
Aruanã Pinheiro
Postdoctoral Program in Microbial Biology, CEUMA University, São Luís, MA 65075-120, Brazil
Carlos Maramaldo
Central Public Health Laboratory of Maranhão—LACEN-MA, Osvaldo Cruz Institute, São Luís, MA 65020-904, Brazil
Eduardo Pereira
Laboratory of Virology, Post-Graduate Programme in Microbial Biology, CEUMA University, São Luís, MA 65075-120, Brazil
Luís Batista
Postgraduate Program in Adult Health (PPGSAD), Federal University of Maranhão, UFMA, São Luís, MA 65080-805, Brazil
Antonio Júnior
Postgraduate Program in Adult Health (PPGSAD), Federal University of Maranhão, UFMA, São Luís, MA 65080-805, Brazil
Luis Lobato
Central Public Health Laboratory of Maranhão—LACEN-MA, Osvaldo Cruz Institute, São Luís, MA 65020-904, Brazil
Fabiano Silva
Central Public Health Laboratory of Maranhão—LACEN-MA, Osvaldo Cruz Institute, São Luís, MA 65020-904, Brazil
Luis Sousa
Laboratory of Virology, Post-Graduate Programme in Microbial Biology, CEUMA University, São Luís, MA 65075-120, Brazil
Washington Lima
Post-Graduate Programme in Biodiversity and Biotechnology (BIONORTE), CEUMA University, São Luís, MA 65075-120, Brazil
Claudia Lima
Laboratory of Virology, Post-Graduate Programme in Microbial Biology, CEUMA University, São Luís, MA 65075-120, Brazil
Suzany Soczek
Post-Graduate Programme in Biotechnology Applied to Child and Adolescent Health, Pelé Pequeno Príncipe Research Institute, Curitiba, PR 80250-060, Brazil
Rafael Carvalho
Postgraduate Program in Adult Health (PPGSAD), Federal University of Maranhão, UFMA, São Luís, MA 65080-805, Brazil
Mirleide Santos
Evandro Chagas Institute, Ananindeua, PA 67030-000, Brazil
Elizabeth Fernandes
Post-Graduate Programme in Biotechnology Applied to Child and Adolescent Health, Pelé Pequeno Príncipe Research Institute, Curitiba, PR 80250-060, Brazil
Eduardo Sousa
Laboratory of Virology, Post-Graduate Programme in Microbial Biology, CEUMA University, São Luís, MA 65075-120, Brazil
Lidio Neto
Laboratory of Virology, Post-Graduate Programme in Microbial Biology, CEUMA University, São Luís, MA 65075-120, Brazil
Introduction: Although fewer children have been affected by the severe form of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) continues to be the leading global cause of child hospitalizations and deaths. Aim: This study investigated the incidence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as well its subtypes (RSV A and B), adenovirus (ADV), rhinovirus (HRV), metapneumovirus (HMPV), coronavirus (NL63, OC43, 229E and HKU1), parainfluenza virus subtypes (PI1, PI2 and PI3), bocavirus and influenza A and B viruses (FluA and FluB) in children diagnosed with CAP during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A total of 200 children with clinically confirmed CAP were initially recruited, of whom 107 had negative qPCR results for SARS-CoV-2 and were included in this study. Viral subtypes were identified using a real-time polymerase chain reaction in the nasopharyngeal swab samples. Results: Viruses were identified in 69.2% of the patients. RSV infections were the most frequently identified (65.4%), with type RSV B being the most prevalent (63.5%). In addition, HCoV 229E and HRV were detected in 6.5% and 3.7% of the patients, respectively. RSV type B was associated with severe acute respiratory infection (ARI) and a younger age (less than 24 months). Conclusions: New strategies for preventing and treating viral respiratory infections, particularly RSV infections, are necessary.
