Respiratory syncytial virus: Changes in prevalence of subgroups A and B among Argentinian children, 1990-1996

✍ Scribed by Carballal, Guadalupe; Videla, Cristina; Sequeira, Mar�a D.; Mistchenko, Alicia; Requeijo, Paula V.; Arbiza, Juan

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2000
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 215 KB
• Volume: 61
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0146-6615
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1096-9071(200006)61:2<275::aid-jmv15>3.0.co;2-e

✦ Synopsis

The frequency of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and the distribution of subgroups A and B strains during 7 consecutive years (1990)(1991)(1992)(1993)(1994)(1995)(1996) were examined in two cities of Argentina. Nasopharyngeal aspirates from 1,304 children less than 2 years of age hospitalized with acute lower respiratory infection were studied by indirect immunofluorescence. RSV was detected in 352 cases (26.9%), and the peak activity was observed in midwinter. Subgroup characterization was performed with two monoclonal antibodies against the F protein on nasopharyngeal aspirate smears. Of 195 samples, 174 (89.2%) were identified as subgroup A strains and 21 (10.8%) as subgroup B. Both strains cocirculated during 5 of 7 years studied with subgroup A predominating. Subgroup A occurred at least 8 times as often in all years except for 1994-1995. Children infected by subgroup A were younger than those infected by subgroup B (P < 0.05). The association of subgroup A infection with bronchiolitis and subgroup B with pneumonia was statistically significant (P < 0.03).