Clinical characteristics of acute viral lower respiratory tract infectionsin hospitalized children in Seoul, 1996-1998

This study was performed to investigate the etiologic agents, age distribut ion, clinical manifestations and seasonal occurrence of acute viral lower r espiratory tract infections in children. We confirmed viral etiologies usin g nasopharyngeal aspirates in 237 patients of the ages of 15 years or young er who were hospitalized far acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRI) from March 1996 to February 1998 at Samsung Seoul Hospital, Seoul, Korea. The overall isolation rate was 22.1%, The viral pathogens identified were a denovirus (12.7%), influenza virus type A (21.1%), -type B (13.9%), parainf luenza Virus type 1 (13.5%), -type 2 (1.3%), -type 3 (16.0%) and respirator y syncytial virus (21.5%), The occurrence of ALRIs was highest in the first year of life, although parainfluenza virus type 1 infection occurred predo minantly in the second year of life and influenza virus caused illnesses in all age groups. The specific viruses are frequently associated with specif ic clinical sl,syndromes of ALRI. The respiratory agents and associated syn dromes frequently have characteristic seasonal patterns. This study will he lp us to estimate the etiologic agents of ALRI, and establish a program for the prevention and treatment. An annual nationwide survey is necessary to understand the viral epidemiology associated with respiratory illnesses in Korea.