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Updated: Apr 19, 2026
An In vitro Model to Study Immune Responses of Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells to Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection
Published on: December 10, 2013
[Winter viral ecology in a pediatric intensive care unit: a prospective study]
G Mortamet1, R Morello2, M Jokic1
1Unité de réanimation pédiatrique, CHU de Caen, avenue Côte-de-Nacre, 14033 Caen, France.
Insights
Viral respiratory infections are common in children requiring pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission. Multiplex PCR detected viruses, including RSV, in many children, even those without respiratory symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric critical care medicine
- Virology
- Infectious disease epidemiology
Context:
- Viral respiratory infections are a significant cause of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admissions.
- Accurate and rapid viral detection is crucial for patient management in critical care settings.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the epidemiology of respiratory viruses in children admitted to a PICU.
- To assess the utility of multiplex PCR for virus detection in this population.
Summary:
- A prospective study in a French PICU identified respiratory viruses in 64.3% of hospitalized children using real-time PCR.
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) was the most common, detected in 40.0% of positive samples.
- Viruses were more frequently found in children with respiratory symptoms (86.5%) compared to those without (42.6%).
Impact:
- The sensitive multiplex PCR technique enhances virus detection rates in both symptomatic and asymptomatic pediatric PICU patients.
- Findings highlight the prevalence of RSV and other viral infections in critically ill children, necessitating further investigation into their clinical impact.
Introduction:
Viral respiratory infections are common in children, most of which are due to a virus. They can lead to serious infections, and these children may require treatment in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). This prospective study evaluated the epidemiology of respiratory viruses and associated illnesses among children hospitalized in a PICU during the three winter months of 2012-2013.
Methods:
All the children admitted to the PICU, University Hospital of Caen, France, were included. Nasal swabs were collected and specimens were tested using a single real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction).
Results:
Of the 105 patients admitted to the PICU during the study period, 84 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The "respiratory group" included 37 patients with respiratory symptoms at admission while the "nonrespiratory group" included 47 patients with no respiratory symptoms. The 84 nasal swabs collected included 54 that were considered positive (64.3%) and 70 viruses were detected. The most commonly detected virus was RSV (n=28; 40.0% positive samples), followed by HRV (n=24; 34.3%). Viruses were more frequently detected in the respiratory (86.5%) than in the nonrespiratory (42.6%) group (P<0.001). Statistical analysis by subgroups revealed that RSV infections were significantly more frequent in the respiratory group (54.1%) than in the nonrespiratory group (6.4%) (P<0.001). There was no difference for HRV (32.4% and 27.7%) or for the other viruses. No difference in duration of hospitalization or duration of mechanical ventilation was demonstrated depending on the virus detected.
Discussion:
The use of the very sensitive multiplex PCR technique increased virus detection rates in both symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects.
Conclusion:
We have confirmed the frequency of RSV infections in a PICU and found that many patients without respiratory symptoms have respiratory infections caused by viruses. The impact of these infections on patient outcome should now be analyzed in order to demonstrate the role played by respiratory viruses.
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