Épidémiologie des pneumopathies communautaires de l'enfant. Données actuelles

Viruses, particularly syncitial respiratory virus, are the main aetiology of community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections in infants, while bacterial agents are more frequently responsible in children older than 3 years. Antimicrobial therapy must take into account the development of reduced susceptibility of penicillin to strains of Straptoccocus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae with β-lactamase, and high frequency of Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae infections. Although the mortality rate has remained low in France, the morbidity appeared to increase in recent years.