Clinical characteristics of respiratory microorganisms in children hospitalized due to lower respiratory tract infections between 2019 and 2022 in a private hospital in Lima, Peru.

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Title:	Clinical characteristics of respiratory microorganisms in children hospitalized due to lower respiratory tract infections between 2019 and 2022 in a private hospital in Lima, Peru.
Alternate Title:	Características clínicas de microorganismos respiratorios en niños hospitalizados debido a infecciones del tracto respiratorio Inferior entre 2019 y 2022 en un hospital privado de Lima-Perú.
Authors:	Dutra, Alexander¹ alexandermello@upeu.edu.pe, Oliveira, Gabriele¹, Soriano-Moreno, Anderson N.², Quinto, Jorge³, Bobadilla, Fernando, Díaz, Nelson^4,5, Alave, Jorge^4,5
Source:	Biomédica: Revista del Instituto Nacional de Salud. 2026 Special Issue, Vol. 46, p2-32. 30p.
Subjects:	RESPIRATORY syncytial virus, MIXED infections, RESPIRATORY infections, HAEMOPHILUS, INFLUENZA, SCHOOL children, HOSPITAL care, RESPIRATORY diseases
Geographic Terms:	PERU, LIMA (Peru)
Abstract (English):	Introduction. Lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) is the leading cause of childhood death. Etiological agents showed seasonal, geographic, and pandemic-related variation. Objective. To determine the clinical characteristics of respiratory pathogens in children hospitalized due to LRTI before, during, and after the pandemic in a private hospital in Lima, Peru. Materials and methods. A retrospective cohort study of patients under 13 years of age hospitalized with LRTI. Two multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, CLART® Fast PneumoVir and PneumoCLART Bacteria®, were used to identify pathogens. We identified factors associated with prolonged hospitalization based on general characteristics and the presence of positive pathogens. Results. A total of 612 patient records were analyzed. The average age was 2.89 years. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was identified in 33.7% of cases, influenza A in 26.3%, and Haemophilus sp in 19.3%. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 48.9% of patients had a viral etiologic agent, and 88.1% had one after the pandemic. During the pre-pandemic period, 17.3% of patients had more than one microorganism, with frequent coinfections of RSV with Haemophilus sp (10.78%), RSV with metapneumovirus (8.82%), and RSV with influenza A (8.82%). Additionally, the identification of RSV was associated with prolonged hospital stays of more than 6 days (p = 0.005). Conclusions. This study found that viral etiologic agents were predominant before and after the pandemic. Furthermore, coinfections between bacteria and viruses were frequent. RSV was the most common and was associated with coinfections and prolonged hospital stays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Abstract (Spanish):	Introducción. La infección del tracto respiratorio inferior (ITRI) es la principal causa de muerte infantil. Los agentes etiológicos mostraron variación estacional, geográfica y relacionada a la pandemia de COVID 19. Objetivo. Determinar las características clínicas de los patógenos respiratorios en niños hospitalizados debido a infección del tracto respiratorio inferior antes, durante y posterior a la pandemia en un hospital privado de Lima, Perú. Materiales y métodos. Estudio de cohorte retrospectiva de pacientes menores de 13 años hospitalizados por ITRI. Se usaron dos pruebas de reacción de cadena de polimerasa (PCR) multiplex, CLART® Fast PneumoVir y el PneumoCLART bacteria®, para identificar los patógenos. Se determinaron factores asociados a la hospitalización prolongada según las características generales y patógenos que resultaron positivos. Resultados. Se analizó 612 registros de pacientes. La edad promedio fue 2.89 años. Se identificó virus sincitial respiratorio (VSR) en un 33.7%, influenza A 26.3% y Haemophilus sp 19,3%. En la etapa prepandemia de COVID-19, 48.9% de pacientes tuvieron un agente etiológico viral y 88,1% después de la pandemia. En el periodo prepandemia, 17,3% de pacientes tuvieron más de un microorganismo, siendo frecuentes coinfecciones de VSR con Haemophilus sp (10.78%), VSR con metapneumovirus (8.82%), VSR con influenza A (8.82%). Adicionalmente, la identificación de VSR se asoció a estancia hospitalaria prolongada mayor a 6 días (p=0.005). Conclusiones. Este estudio encontró que los agentes etiológicos virales fueron predominantes antes y después de la pandemia. Además, las coinfecciones entre bacterias y virus fueron frecuentes. El virus sincitial respiratorio fue el más frecuente y se asoció a coinfecciones y estancia hospitalaria prolongada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database:	MedicLatina

Description
Abstract:	Introduction. Lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) is the leading cause of childhood death. Etiological agents showed seasonal, geographic, and pandemic-related variation. Objective. To determine the clinical characteristics of respiratory pathogens in children hospitalized due to LRTI before, during, and after the pandemic in a private hospital in Lima, Peru. Materials and methods. A retrospective cohort study of patients under 13 years of age hospitalized with LRTI. Two multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, CLART® Fast PneumoVir and PneumoCLART Bacteria®, were used to identify pathogens. We identified factors associated with prolonged hospitalization based on general characteristics and the presence of positive pathogens. Results. A total of 612 patient records were analyzed. The average age was 2.89 years. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was identified in 33.7% of cases, influenza A in 26.3%, and Haemophilus sp in 19.3%. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 48.9% of patients had a viral etiologic agent, and 88.1% had one after the pandemic. During the pre-pandemic period, 17.3% of patients had more than one microorganism, with frequent coinfections of RSV with Haemophilus sp (10.78%), RSV with metapneumovirus (8.82%), and RSV with influenza A (8.82%). Additionally, the identification of RSV was associated with prolonged hospital stays of more than 6 days (p = 0.005). Conclusions. This study found that viral etiologic agents were predominant before and after the pandemic. Furthermore, coinfections between bacteria and viruses were frequent. RSV was the most common and was associated with coinfections and prolonged hospital stays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:	01204157