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Community-acquired pathogens associated with prolonged coughing in children: a prospective cohort study

F G A Versteegh1, G J Weverling, M F Peeters

  • 1Groene Hart Ziekenhuis, Department of Pediatrics, Gouda, the Netherlands. versteegh@linuxmail.org

Clinical Microbiology and Infection : the Official Publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
|September 13, 2005
PubMed

Insights

In children with prolonged cough, mixed respiratory infections are common year-round but do not worsen disease severity. Rhinovirus and Bordetella pertussis were frequent pathogens.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Respiratory Medicine

Background:

  • Prolonged coughing in children is a common clinical problem.
  • Identifying causative pathogens and understanding infection dynamics is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the frequency of respiratory pathogens in children with prolonged cough.
  • To investigate the rate of single versus mixed infections.
  • To assess if mixed infections impact disease severity.

Main Methods:

  • A 2-year prospective study involving 135 children with prolonged cough (1-6 weeks duration).
  • Serological testing for antibodies, and swab cultures/PCR for viral and bacterial pathogens.
  • Clinical symptom assessment and comparison between single and mixed infection groups.

Main Results:

  • Pathogens were identified in 67% of children; 36% had single infections, 26% had dual infections, and 5% had more than two pathogens.
  • Rhinovirus (32%), Bordetella pertussis (17%), and respiratory syncytial virus (11%) were most common.
  • Mixed infections were more frequent in older children but not associated with increased disease severity or seasonal variation.

Conclusions:

  • Mixed respiratory infections are frequent in children with prolonged cough, irrespective of season.
  • No specific clinical symptoms could reliably distinguish between single and mixed infections.
  • Disease severity was not significantly different between children with single or mixed infections.

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