Analysis of clinical features of community-acquired pneumonia caused by pediatric respiratory syncytial virus and human metapneumovirus

Abstract

We retrospectively reviewed the background, clinical features, blood tests, and complications in the 720 children seen for acute respiratory tract infection from July 2004 to December 2005. Of these, 75 (10.5%) were diagnosed with pneumonia due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and 19 (2.6%) with pneumonia due to human metapneumovirus (hMPV) based on multiplex PCR analysis of nasopharyngeal samples. RSV was PCR-positive mostly in winter, -from November to January-, and hMPV mostly in spring, -from March to June. The mean RSV pneumonia group age was 1.3 +/- 1.4 years and in the hMPV pneumonia group 3.0 +/- 3.1 years, showing a statistically significant differences in the age of virus onset. Clinically the RSV group showed more rhinorrhea and wheezing (p < 0.05) and the hMPV group a higher maximum body temperature and a longer wheezing duration (p < 0.05). Fever, cough, vomiting, diarrhea, fever frequency, and C-reactive protein level were similar in both groups (p > 0.05). Complication prevalence was 49.3% in the RSV group and 42.1% in the hMPV group. Acute otitis media was seen more often in the RSV group (32.0%) and febrile convulsion more often in the hMPV group (15.8%) (p > 0.05). These findings may be helpful in clinically diagnosing community-acquired pneumonia due to RSV or hMPV.