[Detection and molecular epidemiology of respiratory syncytial virus type A and B strains in childhood respiratory infections in Hungary].

UNLABELLED

Human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) is one of the major causes of respiratory infection of infants and children worldwide. The molecular epidemiology of hRSV is unknown in Hungary.

AIMS

Our aims were the molecular detection and genetic analysis of hRSV from childhood respiratory infections in Hungary.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Nasopharyngeal aspirates were collected from children under the age of 10 years with acute respiratory infections provided by the Pediatric Department of the Hospital for Chest Diseases in Mosdós. Samples were taken from 15 October to 15 May in seasons of 2005/2006 and 2006/2007. The clinical and epidemiological data were collected prospectively. The amplification of the surface fusion glycoprotein (F) and the attachment glycoprotein (G) genes of viral RNA was made by RT-PCR method. PCR-products were sequenced and analyzed by phylogenetic analysis.

RESULTS

Nasopharyngeal aspirates of 104 children were examined out of which 23 (22.1%) samples - 16 males (69.6%) and 7 females (30.4%) - (first season: 1/49, 2%; second season: 22/55, 40%) contained hRSV. The hRSV infections were taking place from December to March. The average age was 2.1 years (1 month to 8 years). The leading symptoms were dropping nose, fever, cough and wheezing. Thirty-nine point one percent of the hRSV infected children had underlying disease. Based upon the F region 22 (96%), viruses genetically belonged to type A and 1 (4%) was classified as type B hRSV. Based upon the G region, out of the 11 type A viruses 8 (72.7%) belonged to group GA5 and 3 (27.3%) to group GA2. Viral nucleotide sequence was identical in several cases.

CONCLUSIONS

To our knowledge, this is the first report on molecular detection and genetic analysis of the two types (A and B) of hRSV of children under the age of 10 with respiratory infections in Hungary. In winter and spring hRSV is an important cause of childhood respiratory infections, particularly in infants, often requiring hospitalization.