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Human Parechovirus Infection in Children in Taiwan: a Retrospective, Single-Hospital Study
Jenn-Tzong Chang1,2, Yao-Shen Chen3,2, Bao-Chen Chen4
1Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital.
Insights
Human parechovirus (HPeV) infections are common in Taiwanese children. Hospital-acquired HPeV infections pose a significant risk, particularly for infants under three months old.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Virology
Background:
- Human parechovirus (HPeV) is a significant cause of illness in children.
- Understanding HPeV epidemiology and clinical manifestations in Taiwan is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze HPeV infections in Taiwanese children.
- To compare clinical outcomes between infants and older children.
- To investigate the role of hospital-acquired infections.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 112 children (age ≤10 years) diagnosed with HPeV infection.
- Comparison of clinical data between children <3 months and ≥3 months old.
- Identification of HPeV genotypes and assessment of hospital-acquired infections.
Main Results:
- HPeV1 was the predominant genotype (n=94).
- Infants <3 months experienced less fever and respiratory symptoms but higher ICU admission rates and longer hospital stays compared to older children.
- Approximately one-third of cases were suspected hospital-acquired infections, with 42.9% in infants <3 months.
Conclusions:
- HPeV infections present distinct clinical patterns based on age in Taiwanese children.
- Hospital-acquired HPeV infections are a critical concern, especially for young infants.
- Age-specific management strategies and infection control measures are essential for HPeV in pediatric populations.
Abstract:
To understand human parechovirus (HPeV) infections in Taiwanese children, we analyzed data for 112 children (age≤10 years) with HPeV infection diagnosed between July 2007 and June 2016 in a medical center in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan. The patients were infected with HPeV1 (n=94), HPeV3 (n=3), HPeV4 (n=3), HPeV6 (n=1) and non-typeable HPeV (n=11). We compared the clinical implications for children younger than 3 months (n=56) and 3 months and older (n=31), excluding 25 children with concomitant infections. Fever was noted in almost half of the children younger than 3 months but was more frequent in older than in younger children (83.9% vs 46.4%). As compared with older children, children younger than 3 months had a lower incidence of respiratory symptoms (30.1% vs 83.9%), more frequently required intensive care unit admission (28.6% vs 3.2%), and had longer hospital stays (mean 10.95 vs 5.13 days). Importantly, about one-third of the children were suspected to have hospital-acquired or cluster infections in the environment of medical institutions, with a significantly high proportion of 42.9% (24/56) in younger infants. Hospital-acquired infections might play a key role in the spread of HPeV, especially in children younger than 3 months.
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