Hospital-Acquired Viral Respiratory Tract Infections in the Neonatal Unit: A Comparison with Other Inpatient Groups

Background: Hospital-acquired viral respiratory tract infections (VRTIs) cause significant morbidity and mortality in neonatal patients. This includes escalation of respiratory support, increased length of hospital stay, and need for home oxygen, as well as higher healthcare costs. To date, no studies have compared population rates of VRTIs across age groups. Aim: Quantify the rates of hospital-acquired VRTIs in our neonatal population compared with other inpatient age groups in Nottinghamshire, UK. Methods: We compared all hospital inpatient PCR-positive viral respiratory samples between 2007 and 2013 and calculated age-stratified rates based on population estimates. Results: From a population of 4,707,217, we identified a previously unrecognised burden of VRTI in neonatal patients, only second to the 0–1-year-old group. Although only accounting for 1.3% of the population, half of the infections were in infants <1 year old and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) patients. Human rhinovirus was the most dominant virus across the inpatient group, particularly in neonatal patients. Despite a two- to three-fold increase in the rate of positive samples in all groups during the colder months (1.1/1,000 October–March vs. 0.4/1,000 April–September), rates in the NICU did not change throughout the year at 4.3/1,000. Pandemic H1N1 influenza rates were 20 times higher in neonatal patients and infants <1 year old. Conclusion: Good epidemiological and interventional data are needed to help inform visiting and infection control policies to reduce transmission of hospital-acquired viral infections to this vulnerable population, particularly during pandemic seasons.

Download Full-text

Hospital acquired viral respiratory tract infections: An underrecognized nosocomial infection

Infection Disease & Health ◽

10.1016/j.idh.2020.02.002 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (3) ◽

pp. 175-180 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Naveen Manchal ◽

Mohamed Reffai Syed Mohamed ◽

Michael Ting ◽

Hugh Luetchford ◽

Fleur Francis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nosocomial Infection ◽

Respiratory Tract ◽

Respiratory Tract Infections ◽

Tract Infections ◽

Hospital Acquired ◽

Viral Respiratory

Download Full-text

Seasonal trends of viral respiratory tract infections in the tropics

Epidemiology and Infection ◽

10.1017/s0950268898008905 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 121 (1) ◽

pp. 121-128 ◽

Cited By ~ 189

Author(s):

F. T. CHEW ◽

S. DORAISINGHAM ◽

A. E. LING ◽

G. KUMARASINGHE ◽

B. W. LEE

Keyword(s):

Respiratory Tract ◽

Influenza A ◽

Respiratory Tract Infections ◽

Viral Infections ◽

Influenza B ◽

Seasonal Trends ◽

Parainfluenza Viruses ◽

Tract Infections ◽

The Tropics ◽

Viral Respiratory

To evaluate the seasonal trends of viral respiratory tract infections in a tropical environment, a retrospective survey of laboratory virus isolation, serology and immunofluorescence microscopy in two large general hospitals in Singapore between September 1990 and September 1994 was carried out. Respiratory tract viral outbreaks, particularly among infants who required hospitalization, were found to be associated mainly with respiratory syncytial (RSV) infections (72%), influenza (11%) and parainfluenza viruses (11%). Consistent seasonal variations in viral infections were observed only with RSV (March–August) and influenza A virus (peaks in June, December–January). The RSV trends were associated with higher environmental temperature, lower relative humidity and higher maximal day-to-day temperature variation. Although the influenza A outbreaks were not associated with meteorological factors, influenza B isolates were positively associated with rainfall. These data support the existence of seasonal trends of viral respiratory tract infections in the tropics.

Download Full-text

Calprotectin, a new biomarker for diagnosis of acute respiratory infections

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-61094-z ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Aleksandra Havelka ◽

Kristina Sejersen ◽

Per Venge ◽

Karlis Pauksens ◽

Anders Larsson

Keyword(s):

Respiratory Tract ◽

Bacterial Pneumonia ◽

Respiratory Tract Infections ◽

Viral Infections ◽

Respiratory Infections ◽

Mycoplasma Pneumonia ◽

Tract Infections ◽

Viral Respiratory Infections ◽

Streptococcal Tonsillitis ◽

Viral Respiratory

AbstractRespiratory tract infections require early diagnosis and adequate treatment. With the antibiotic overuse and increment in antibiotic resistance there is an increased need to accurately distinguish between bacterial and viral infections. We investigated the diagnostic performance of calprotectin in respiratory tract infections and compared it with the performance of heparin binding protein (HBP) and procalcitonin (PCT). Biomarkers were analyzed in patients with viral respiratory infections and patients with bacterial pneumonia, mycoplasma pneumonia and streptococcal tonsillitis (n = 135). Results were compared with values obtained from 144 healthy controls. All biomarkers were elevated in bacterial and viral infections compared to healthy controls. Calprotectin was significantly increased in patients with bacterial infections; bacterial pneumonia, mycoplasma pneumonia and streptococcal tonsillitis compared with viral infections. PCT was significantly elevated in patients with bacterial pneumonia compared to viral infections but not in streptococcal tonsillitis or mycoplasma caused infections. HBP was not able to distinguish between bacterial and viral causes of infections. The overall clinical performance of calprotectin in the distinction between bacterial and viral respiratory infections, including mycoplasma was greater than performance of PCT and HBP. Rapid determination of calprotectin may improve the management of respiratory tract infections and allow more precise diagnosis and selective use of antibiotics.

Download Full-text