Epidemiology and prevention of pediatric viral respiratory infections in health-care institutions

Nosocomial viral respiratory infections cause considerable illness and deat h on pediatric wards. Common causes of these infections include respiratory syncytial virus and influenza. Although primarily a community pathogen, rh inovirus also occasionally results in hospitalization and serious sequelae. This article reviews effective infection control interventions for these t hree pathogens, as well as ongoing controversies.