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Lower respiratory tract infections among Norwegian infants with siblings in day care

P Nafstad1, J A Hagen, G Botten

  • 1Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Finland.

American Journal of Public Health
|October 1, 1996
PubMed

Insights

Infants with siblings, especially those attending daycare, face a higher risk of lower respiratory tract infections. This highlights the importance of considering sibling contact when assessing infant infection risk.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Epidemiology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are a significant cause of infant morbidity.
  • The role of household contacts, particularly siblings, in disease transmission is increasingly recognized.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between siblings, specifically those attending day care, and the risk of LRTIs in infants.
  • To quantify the impact of sibling presence and day care attendance on infant respiratory health.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective cohort study involving 3238 newborns in Oslo, Norway, recruited in 1992/93.
  • Infants were followed for one year to ascertain the incidence of LRTIs.
  • Logistic regression analysis was used to assess risk factors.

Main Results:

  • Infants with one or more siblings had a significantly increased risk of infection (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.3).
  • Infants with siblings attending day care showed a further increased risk compared to those with siblings not in day care (adjusted OR = 1.7).

Conclusions:

  • The presence of siblings is a determinant of infants' risk for lower respiratory tract infections.
  • Siblings attending day care outside the home represent a specific risk factor, increasing infant susceptibility to LRTIs.
Abstract

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