The Viral Detection of Pediatric Respiratory Infections in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture

Viral respiratory tract infection is sometimes complicated by wheezing in infants and small children. In particular for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the number of patients with which has increased increases in recent years, surveillance is particularly important. This study was designed to investigate the prevalence of respiratory viruses in children with acute respiratory tract infection. We prospectively examined 301 children with acute lower respiratory infection who were admitted to a single clinic in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture (as a model area) from October 2013 to February 2016. Using PCR, we attempted to detect RSV and human rhinovirus (HRV) and investigated the clinical information of these patients. Viruses were detected from 269 (89.4%) patients. RSV was detected in 138 (45.8%) patients, through the epidemic season from late fall to early spring. Patients in whom RSV was detected often had wheezing and the proportion gradually increased in the investigation period. On the other hand, HRV was detected in 112 (37.2%), from which 61.9% of patients demonstrated HRV with wheezing. Our results suggested that HRV infection is involved in the severity of symptoms in the same manner as RSV.