Paediatria Croatica, Vol. 53 No. 2, 2009.
Original scientific paper
CHARACTERISTICS OF 2006/2007 RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS OUTBREAK IN ZAGREB COUNTY: PROOF OF PREDICTABILITY OF OUTBREAKS PERIODICITY
Gordana Mlinarić Galinović
; Hrvatski zavod za javno zdravstvo
Ana Baće
Jasna Čepin-Bogović
Irena Ivković-Jureković
Renata Sim
Marina Čosić
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to establish epidemiological characteristics of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections in hospitalized children in the territory of Zagreb County, primarily the outbreak peak in the 2006/07 season.
The research included 806 patients with acute respiratory infection (ARI). The study period was 1 August 2006–1 August 2007. Clinical materials (nasopharyngeal excretions) were taken from each patient, the virus was detected using commercial monoclonal antibodies in direct immunofluorescence assay, and isolated in cell culture.
RSV infection was diagnosed in 154 of the total 806 hospitalized ARI patients (19.11%). RSV proved to be the causative agent of bronchiolitis in 64 out of 126 patients (50.79%) and pneumonia in 12 out of 39 cases (30.77%).
During the 2006/2007 winter season, RSV-epidemic peaked in January 2007 as foreseen and in line with our previous studies. Croatian RSV-outbreaks have thus a two-year cycle, which was also confirmed by this study. Findings on this two-year RSV infection periodicity are crucial for the planning of prevention and infection control in the region.
Keywords
RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS INFECTIONS – epidemiology; RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS, HUMAN – isolation and purification; DISEASE OUTBREAKS; SEASONS; CROATIA – epidemiology; URBAN POPULATION
Hrčak ID:
41249
URI
Publication date:
5.8.2009.
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