HRV/EV infections affect the respiratory system, yield low mortality rates

The respiratory system is the main target of human rhinovirus/enterovirus (HRV/EV) infections, which show a clinical course with low mortality rates, reveals a study.

This multicentre, prospective observational study was conducted from September 2022 to December 2022 to examine the clinical course of HRV/EV infections in the paediatric intensive care unit (ICU).

The authors recorded cases with positive polymerase chain reaction testing for HRV/EV of nasopharyngeal swab samples within the first 24 hours of paediatric ICU admission. Then, they categorized the participants into two age groups: 1‒24 months and >24 months.

Seventy-five patients (median age 21 months, 39 males) were enrolled in this study. The highest polymerase chain reaction positivity rate (37.33 percent) was noted in October 2022. Among the patients, 32 (42.67 percent) presented with bronchopneumonia/pneumonia, 24 (32 percent) with acute bronchiolitis/bronchitis, and seven (9.33 percent) with sepsis/septic shock.

Mean lymphocyte and liver enzyme levels were higher in the 1‒24 months age group, while mean haemoglobin and mean kidney function test levels were greater in the >24 months age group (p≤0.05).

Of the patients, 65.3 percent received continuous oxygen therapy, 33.3 percent underwent noninvasive ventilation, 32 percent received flow nasal cannula-oxygen therapy, and 16 percent had invasive mechanical ventilation. One patient (1.3 percent) died.

“In cases with underlying chronic diseases, more severe clinical conditions such as paediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome and septic shock may occur,” the authors said.