Human respiratory syncytial virus diversity and epidemiology among patients hospitalized with severe respiratory illness in South Africa, 2012–2015
Date
2015
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Abstract
Background: We aimed to describe the prevalence of human respiratory syncytial
virus (HRSV) and evaluate associations between HRSV subgroups and/or genotypes
and epidemiologic characteristics and clinical outcomes in patients hospitalized with
severe respiratory illness (SRI).
Methods: Between January 2012 and December 2015, we enrolled patients of all
ages admitted to two South African hospitals with SRI in prospective hospital-based
syndromic surveillance. We collected respiratory specimens and clinical and epidemiological data. Unconditional random effect multivariable logistic regression was used
to assess factors associated with HRSV infection.
Results: HRSV was detected in 11.2% (772/6908) of enrolled patients of which
47.0% (363/772) were under the age of 6 months. There were no differences in
clinical outcomes of HRSV subgroup A-infected patients compared with HRSV
subgroup B-infected patients but among patients aged <5 years, children with HRSV
subgroup A were more likely be coinfected with Streptococcus pneumoniae (23/208
11.0% vs. 2/90, 2.0%; adjusted odds ratio 5.7). No significant associations of HRSV A
genotypes NA1 and ON1 with specific clinical outcomes were observed.
Conclusions: While HRSV subgroup and genotype dominance shifted between
seasons, we showed similar genotype diversity as noted worldwide. We found no
association between clinical outcomes and HRSV subgroups or genotypes.
Description
Keywords
human respiratory syncytial virus, severe respiratory illness, South Africa