Viral load of respiratory syncytial virus among children from primary care and hospital settings admitted to a university hospital in Brazil (2009‐2013)

  • Jéssica Santiago Cruz
    Clinical Virology Laboratory Infectious Diseases Unit Medicine Department São Paulo Federal University São Paulo Brazil
  • Luciano Kleber de Souza Luna
    Clinical Virology Laboratory Infectious Diseases Unit Medicine Department São Paulo Federal University São Paulo Brazil
  • Vitória Rodrigues Guimarães Alves
    Clinical Virology Laboratory Infectious Diseases Unit Medicine Department São Paulo Federal University São Paulo Brazil
  • Danielle Dias Conte
    Clinical Virology Laboratory Infectious Diseases Unit Medicine Department São Paulo Federal University São Paulo Brazil
  • Nancy Cristina Junqueira Bellei
    Clinical Virology Laboratory Infectious Diseases Unit Medicine Department São Paulo Federal University São Paulo Brazil

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a relevant cause of acute respiratory infection among children. Viral replication and immune conditions may account for severity. RSV viral load (VL) was assessed in 486 children (290 hospitalized and 196 from primary care) attended at São Paulo Hospital from 2009 to 2013. VL was calculated by real‐time reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction and expressed in Log<jats:sub>10</jats:sub> RNA copies/mL. Coinfection with rhinovirus (RV) and influenza A virus was also tested. Young children (<1 year of age) had a higher mean VL than older children at primary care (6.35 and 4.34 Log<jats:sub>10</jats:sub> RNA copies/mL, respectively; <jats:italic>P</jats:italic> = .0006). Conversely, hospitalized children ≥2 years of age, presented higher mean VL compared with the same age children of primary care (6.10 and 4.26, respectively; <jats:italic>P</jats:italic> = .0024). RV was the most codetected virus in RSV positive patients (20% from primary care and 14% in hospitalized), and influenza A virus was found in 11% of primary care and 0.4% in hospitalized children with RSV, without RSV VL association (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> = .2903). These findings may guide future therapies and immunization policies considering the role of viral load on clinical presentation among older hospitalized children and also the change of infection transmissions.</jats:p>

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