Professional paper
EPIDEMIOLOGIC CHARACTERISTICS OF RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS OUTBREAKS IN ZAGREB DURING TWO CONSECUTIVE WINTER SEASONS
IRENA TABAIN
; Croatian Institute for Public Health, Virology Department, Zagreb, Croatia
TATJANA VILIBIĆ-ČAVLEK
; Croatian Institute for Public Health, Virology Department, and University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
VLATKO JELIĆ
; Croatian Institute for Public Health, Virology Department, Zagreb, Croatia
GORDANA MLINARIĆ-GALINOVIĆ
; Croatian Institute for Public Health, Virology Department, and University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most important viral agent causing severe acute respiratory tract infections (ARTI) in infants and young children. The aim was to investigate the epidemic pattern of RSV outbreaks in children in the City of Zagreb and Zagreb County during two consecutive winter seasons 2012-2014, to defi ne the peaks of outbreaks and to compare them with previous observation on RSV epidemics occurring in two-year cycles in Croatia. The survey included 2158 patients aged 0-5 years with ARTI. Study period included two consecutive winter seasons 2012-2014. Samples of nasopharyngeal aspirate and/or swab were collected from each patient. The virus was detected using commercial monoclonal antibodies in direct immunofl uorescence assay. Of 504 (23.3%) RSV infections identifi ed in children, there were 282 (56%) boys and 222 (44%) girls. During 2012/2013 and 2013/2014, RSV infection was diagnosed in 294 (27.5%) and 210 (19.3%) patients, respectively. RSV proved to be the causative agent of bronchiolitis in 221 (43.8%), upper respiratory tract infection in 183 (36.3%), pneumonia in 69 (13.7%), bronchitis in 21 (4.2%) and croup in 10 (2.0%) patients. Outbreak peaks during the 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 winter seasons were recorded in January/February 2013 (92/98 patients) and February/March 2014 (87/82 patients), respectively. There were 294 RSV cases and a higher incidence of bronchiolitis in infants (62.4%) during major RSV outbreak in contrast to minor outbreak (210 cases and 50.7% cases of bronchiolitis, respectively). Our results are consistent with previous observations that RSV outbreaks in Croatia have biennial cycles. RSV is a common causative viral agent of ARTI, especially in infants and in winter months. Therefore, RSV is still a signifi cant public health issue and it is necessary to detect the development of RSV outbreak in order to undertake prevention measures against the spread of infection.
Keywords
respiratory syncytial virus; bronchiolitis; seasonality
Hrčak ID:
186104
URI
Publication date:
2.9.2017.
Visits: 2.013 *