Abstract
Introduction: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and Human Rhinovirus (HRV) are the main cause of bronquiolitis in children below two years of age. The severity of these infections has been related to later development of recurrent wheezing. Recently a role for Haemophilus influenzae in severe RSV or RSV/HRV co infection has been reported. The main purpose of this study was to identify H.Influenzae in patients with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) and in a group of healthy controls.
Patients and Methods: We studied 76 children younger than 24 months of age (median 5m) with mild and severe lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) and 14 healthy normal controls (4m median age). From nasal pharyngeal aspirate (NPA) RSV and HRV were identify by Rt-PCR and DNA purified with the Wizard Genomic DNA kit (Promega) The omp P6 gene (GenBank accession no. M1939) was selected to identify H influenzae for Rt- PCR.
Results: From the 76 patients with LRTI in 51 (67%) and in 10 out 14 (71%) of healthy controls H. Influenzae was detected. Fifty hospitalized patients, 29 with single RSV and 21 RSV/HRV co infected, H Influenzae was detected in 20 ( 69% ) and in 10 (48%) respectively. In 26 ambulatory children, 15 with single HRV and 11 with single RSV, H Influenzae was detected in 12 (80%) and 8 (73%)
Conclusion: Hemophilus Influenzae was detected in the same percentage of patients with LRTI than in controls.
Supported by Proyecto Fondecyt 1120411.
- Copyright ©ERS 2015
