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Published on: September 7, 2017
Human parainfluenza virus type 4 infections: a report of 20 cases from 1998 to 2002
Geneviève Billaud1, Florence Morfin, Astrid Vabret
1Laboratoire de Virologie, Domaine Rockefeller, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69373 Lyon Cedex 08, Lyon, France. genevieve.billaud@chu-lyon.fr
Background:
Human Parainfluenza Viruses (HPIV) type 4 are responsible for respiratory infections. Unlike HPIV types 1-3, they are associated with mild infections and appear to be infrequent. Thus, they often go undetected.
Study Design:
From 1998 to 2002, in 20 respiratory samples of hospitalised patient, we isolated viruses presenting a large syncytial cytopathic effect when inoculated on LLC-MK2 cells. Most of the patients (16/20) were young infants and all of them presented with respiratory infections.
Results:
We detected 18 cases during autumn and winter, 1 case during spring and 1 during summer. We could not identify these viruses using the panel of routine assays. Samples were then analysed by specific HPIV 4 RT-PCR and IF assays. All the samples were scored positive with both methods.
Conclusion:
We conclude that HPIV 4 infections are probably underestimated. Their role in viral respiratory infections should be carefully investigated using techniques adapted to their detection and culture.
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