EPIDEMIOLOGY OF BRONCHIOLITIS IN A DAY-CA RE-CENTER

The aim of the present study was to realize, in a large day care cente r (DCC) housing 93 infants aged 3 to 36 months, a survey of the freque ncy of bronchiolitis (BO) and the associated risk factors : home smoki ng, familial atopy and pets at home. BO is frequent before 2 years of age : 20 among 61 (32,8%), 6 of whom (33%) developed BO less than 3 mo nths following admission, 6 of 20 developed BO before 6 months of age (33%). Because of the frequency and precocity of the BO in infants adm itted in DCC, prophylactic measures have been recommended : staff hand washing, counter desinfection, no admission of infants before 6 month s of age from september to january, specially if parents have asthma. Home smoking is mainly responsible for recurrence of BO.