engleski

Respiratory viral infections in Croatia

During 1983-94 we looked at respiratory viral infections in Croatia publishing several separate studies. Our focus was mainly on RSV infections among the Zagreb area children. This outline depicts 10 years of our work on the subject. Nasopharyngeal secretions or throat swabs were taken from acutely ill patients and infection was proved by rapid immunofluorescent detection and/or virus isolation. We thus found viral infections to affect 42/174 (24.3%) of inpatients with acute respiratory illness who were aged up to 3 years in 1985. RSV infections made up 20.2% of the demonstrated respiratory viral infections. In the 1986/87 season, a total of 527 infants and small children with acute respiratory illness were examined. Viral etiology was proved in 44.0% of upper respiratory tract (URTI), 86.5% of bronchiolitis, 63.3% of pneumonia, 57.5% of bronchitis, and in 33.3% of croup infections. RSV was the main (71.1%) and adenovirus the secondary causative agent (14.9%). The prevalence of RSV was 33.6% (177/527 patients). Its epidemic wave begun in October 1986, and lasting 7 and a half months, peaked in December 1986. RSV was the etiological agent in 43.4% of URTI, 81.8% of bronchiolitis, 55.9% of pneumonia, 64.7% of bronchitis and 35.3% of infantile croup cases. Out of the 20 RSV-positive newborns, 9 (45%) had URTI, 2 (10%) bronchiolitis, 4 (20%) pneumonia and 4 (20%) bronchitis. Ten (50%) RSV-positive neonates were premature. Half the RSV infected neonates were aged 8-12 days, the rest being older. Between 1988 and 1994, both types (A and B) RSV strains circulated in Croatia (and Austria), as also the different subtypes within each type, type A, respectively subtype A1, absolutely dominating. RSV isolates were of genotypes SHL 2, SHL 1/3/4, SHL 5, NP 1. RSV genotypes had the same time occurrence and sequence as in the rest of Europe and world.

Respiratory viral infections; Upper respiratory tract (URTI); Bronchiolitis; Pneumonia

nije evidentirano