Molecular Epidemiology of Respiratory Viral Pathogens in Children with Asthma Exacerbations Admitted to Dr. Masih Daneshvari Hospital

Background and Aim: A mortality rate of four million children from Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) is reported for developing countries. This study aimed to clarify viral etiologies, clinical manifestations, and other contributing factors (e.g. age, sex, seasonal distribution) of ARIs in referrals to Masih Daneshvari hospital, the research center for pediatric respiratory diseases in Iran.

Materials and Methods: Clinical samples, including nasopharyngeal swabs and nasal washings, were collected from 50 exacerbated asthma cases between October 2007 and September 2008. The specimens were collected from children aged less than 17 years old who were admitted to Masih Daneshvari Hospital, NRITLD, Tehran. Diagnosis was performed by nested or Real time PCR on specimens using DNA and RNA extracted with Invite Spin DNA and Invite Spin RNA Mini Kits, respectively.

Results: The 50 participating patients included 14 girls and 36 boys. The most common age group was 6-11 years, followed by 1-6 years. Cough and wheezing were the most commonly reported symptoms and signs, respectively. Rhinovirus was the most common causative agent. The most common season for infection was autumn, followed by winter, with a total rate of 78% under the category “cold season.”

Conclusion: Considering the small sample size, it would be advisable to perform a multidisciplinary survey over the country to obtain sufficient data to generalize the results and to help the health care system make suitable decisions regarding viral infection prevention and control, especially for respiratory tract infections.