Estudo de infecções por vírus sincicial respiratório humano (VSR) em pacientes atendidos em hospital infantil terciário

Abstract

According to the World Health Organization, the acute lower respiratory tract infection is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus (HRSV) is recognized as the most important cause of Lower Respiratory Tract Infection (LRTI) in children. Up to two thirds of the most serious pulmonary diseases in infants in Brazil are caused by HRSV. Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the occurrence of HRSV and its subtypes (HRSV A and HRSV B) in patients that have been attended in the pediatric service of the Hospital of Children’s Hospital and Maternity, HCM, a reference in pediatric care in São José do Rio Preto, SP, during the period from July / 2015 to October / 2016. Material and Methods: Respiratory swab samples have been collected from children between zero and four years of age, that were hospitalized for acute respiratory infection (ARI). The clinical symptoms were investigated through a clinical questionnaire filled out by each of their responsibles, along with the consent term. The samples have been submitted to specific molecular tests for detection of HRSV by means of a real time PCR protocol previously described in the literature. Results: A total of 86 samples were collected, out of them, 47 (55%) presented positivity for the investigated agent. Out of these, 27 female patients and 19 males. One patient did not have his gender reported. HRSV B was the subtype that most affected on the studied population, both genders, but HRSV A was the subtype that presented the highest viral load among the samples investigated. Children younger than six months of age have presented greater global positivity and significant statistical difference (p <0.05). The clinical symptoms with significant statistical difference were as follow: coryza, cough and wheezing. They were in accordance with the reports already described as characteristic of HRSV bronchiolitis. Conclusions: The results obtained in the present study reinforce the importance of identifying the occurrence of HRSV in populations at risk, providing more effective control as well as the prevention of measures against these infections.