Distribution and Trends of Human Parainfluenza Viruses in Hospitalised Children

OBJECTIVE: To study the distribution of Human Parainfluenza viruses (HPIV) 1–4 and their trends in children ≤5 y of age, hospitalised at a tertiary care centre, Jaipur and co-infection with other respiratory viruses. METHODS: Nasopharyngeal aspirate and throat swabs were collected and processed for extraction of nucleic acid using automated extraction system and real time RT-PCR was performed using primers and probes specific to HPIV 1–4 and other respiratory viruses on 743 samples. RESULTS: Total positivity for Parainfluenza viruses 1–4 was found to be 69/743 (9.28 %), of which 50/533 (9.38 %) were boys and 19/210 (9.05 %) girls. Predominance of HPIV- 3 was observed [41/743 (5.52%)] followed by HPIV-1 in 13/743 (1.75%), HPIV-4 in 10/743 (1.34%) and HPIV-2 in 5/743 (0.67%) patients. Maximum positivity was observed in age group 25–36 mo (12.98%) followed by 13–24 mo group (11.96%). HPIVs were found to be circulating round the year and each year. Co-infections with other respiratory viruses were observed in 22/69 (31.88%) of HPIV positive patients. CONCLUSIONS: All the four types of HPIV were found to be circulating in the index population during all the three years, predominantly during post monsoon and winter seasons. HPIV vaccination should be targeted for all types.