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Noninvasive Sampling of Mucosal Lining Fluid for the Quantification of In Vivo Upper Airway Immune-mediator Levels
Published on: August 7, 2017
Shifting tides: increased severity despite fewer visits for infant respiratory infections across two consecutive
Alessandra C F Ferrari1, Andrea Scaramuzza2, Giulia Chiopris1
1Pediatrics, Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale di Cremona, Cremona, Italy.
Insights
Infant respiratory infections became more severe post-pandemic, with fewer visits but higher intensive care needs. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) re-emerged as a dominant pathogen, indicating a need for continued surveillance.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Post-pandemic pediatric respiratory infections present unique challenges.
- Understanding seasonal trends is crucial for resource allocation and patient care.
Abstract:
This study compares infant (0-24 months) respiratory infection presentations to a Northern Italian paediatric emergency department across two post-pandemic winters (2022-2023 vs 2023-2024). Despite an approximate 44% reduction in visits in 2023-2024 (N=176 in 2023-2024 vs N=317 in 2022-2023), infants in the 2023-2024 season experienced significantly higher proportions of ventilatory support (51.1% vs 32.8%, p<0.001) and intensive care unit admission (15.9% vs 1.9%, p<0.001) than those presenting in 2022-2023, with a non-significant trend towards higher hospitalisation (88.1% vs 81.7%, p=0.052). Respiratory syncytial virus re-emerged as the dominant pathogen (43.2% vs 27.7%, p<0.001) in 2023-2024, alongside increased human metapneumovirus and influenza A H1N1. These findings highlight a concerning shift towards increased severity, underscoring the need for ongoing surveillance.
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