Abstract

ABSTRACT Adenovirus infection in a children´s hospital with chronic pulmonary diseases Introduction: Intrahospital adenovirus infections spread rapidly in closed environments causing outbreaks associated with high morbidity and mortality. Objectives: To identify the attack rate (AR) of adenovirus in a hospital treating children with Chronic Respiratory Diseases (CRD) and to evaluate associated factors that facilitate infection. Patients and Methods: Fifty children with CRD were evaluated between June 2010 and October 2010 at Josefina Martinez Hospital. They were exposed to patients with acute lower respiratory infection during winter. Patients with CRD symptoms (fever and change in basal nasal mucus) underwent Viral Direct Immunofluorescence (DIF). The case was defined as "symptomatic patient with positive DIF for Adenovirus". Primary, secondary and global ARs were evaluated. Variables such as gender, age, tracheostomy and gastrostomy were analyzed looking for associations with the cases. Results: 44 % of patients were infants; 68% of children had tracheostomy and 54 % had gastrostomy. The first patient with Adenovirus was admitted in June and the primary case was reported two weeks later. 25 cases presented secondary AR corresponding to 51%. Global AR was 52% overall. No mortality was reported. The risk was three times higher in infants than older children (OR 3.31 [IC95% 1.02-10.72; p = 0.046]). No significant associations with tracheostomy, gastrostomy and gender were found. Conclusions: The rapid spread of adenovirus infection in closed environments requires extreme prevention measures especially regarding infants. (Key words: Adenovirus, hospital outbreak, chronic respiratory disease, children). Rev Chil Pediatr 2013; 84 (5): 522-526