Clinical impact of respiratory syncytial virus infection on children hospitalized for pertussis

• Published in: BMC Infectious Diseases 2020
• Main Authors: Zhang, Ruimu, Deng, Jikui
• Format: Text Resource
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibiotics; Auscultation; Hospitalization; Infections; Respiratory syncytial virus; Whooping cough
• DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-85375/v1

Background: Although Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the common pathogens in children with pertussis and viral coinfection, the clinical impact of RSV infection on pertussis remains unclear. We compared clinical characteristics and sought differences between infants with single Bordetella pertussis (B. pertussis) infection and those with RSV coinfection. Methods: We enrolled 80 patients with pertussis who were hospitalized in Shenzhen Children’s Hospital from January 2017 to December 2019. Respiratory tract samples were tested for B. pertussis with real-time polymerase chain reaction and respiratory viruses with immunofluorescence assay. Clinical data were obtained from hospital records and collected using a structured questionnaire. Results: Thirty-seven of 80 patients had B. pertussis infection alone (pertussis group) and 43 had RSV-pertussis coinfection (coinfection group). No significant differences were found with regard to sex, body weight, preterm birth history, pertussis vaccination, symptoms, presence of pneumonia, or lymphocyte count between the 2 groups. Patients with RSV coinfection were older; received more β-lactam antibiotic treatment; had higher rates of wheezes and rales on chest auscultation, a higher rate of readmission, and a longer hospital stay. Conclusions: RSV coinfection increases β-lactam antibiotic use, readmission rate, and hospital stay in children hospitalized for pertussis. RSV infection should be suspected when wheezes or rales are present on auscultation of the chest in these patients. Early detection of RSV may avoid unnecessary antibiotic use.