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[Parainfluenza virus type 4 infections].
M L García García1, J Aguilar Ruiz, J E Echeverría Mayo
1Servicio de Pediatría. Hospital Severo Ochoa. Leganes. Madrid. Spain. marialuzgarcia@terra.es
Anales Espanoles De Pediatria
|July 26, 2002
Summary
Parainfluenza virus type 4 (PIV-4) infections in young children can cause severe lower respiratory tract infections, including bronchiolitis. Multiplex RT-PCR aids in diagnosing these often underrecognized PIV-4 cases.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric infectious diseases
- Virology
- Respiratory medicine
Context:
- Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are common in young children.
- Human parainfluenza viruses (HPIVs) are significant causes of pediatric respiratory illness.
- Parainfluenza virus type 4 (PIV-4) has been historically underdiagnosed.
Purpose:
- To characterize the clinical and epidemiological features of PIV-4 infections in pediatric patients.
- To evaluate the utility of multiplex reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for PIV detection.
Summary:
- A study analyzed 230 specimens from 191 pediatric patients with LRTIs.
- PIV was detected in 35.1% of cases, with PIV-4 identified in 10 aspirates from 9 patients.
- PIV-4 primarily affected children under two years old, causing bronchiolitis or wheezing, with some requiring hospitalization.
Impact:
- This study provides the first description of PIV-4 characteristics in Spain.
- PIV-4 infections may be more severe than previously assumed.
- Multiplex RT-PCR improves the diagnosis of PIV-4, preventing underdiagnosis of respiratory infections.