Respiratory syncytial virus infection in children and its correlation with climatic and environmental factors

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to investigate the clinical epidemiology of lower respiratory tract infections with different respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) subtypes in hospitalized children in Suzhou and their correlation with climatic and environmental factors. METHOD: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, we collected nasopharyngeal secretion samples from children hospitalized with acute lower respiratory tract infection. We collected the clinical data of children with RSV infection, and compared and analyzed their epidemiological characteristics. RESULTS: RSV-B was the dominant strain in 2016. In 2018, RSV-A was the dominant strain. The positive detection rate of RSV-A was negatively correlated with monthly mean temperature, monthly mean wind speed, total monthly rainfall, and O(3) concentration and positively correlated with PM2.5, PM10, and NO(2), SO(2), and CO concentrations. The positive detection rate of RSV-B was negatively correlated with monthly average temperature, monthly total rainfall, monthly sunshine duration, and O(3) concentration and positively correlated with CO concentration. CONCLUSIONS: RSV-A was the main subtype detected in this study. The positive detection rate of RSV-A was related to temperature, wind speed, rainfall, PM2.5. PM10, and NO(2), SO(2), CO, and O(3) concentrations. The positive detection rate of RSV-B was related to temperature, rainfall, sunshine time, and O(3) concentration.