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J Pediatr Infect Dis 2010; 05(03): 249-254
DOI: 10.3233/JPI-2010-0262
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart – New York

Detection and correlates of Chlamydophila pneumoniae among children with acute respiratory infections

Alessandra Ciervo
a   Istituto Superiore di Sanità, National Public Health Institute, Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Rome, Italy
,
Fabiola Mancini
a   Istituto Superiore di Sanità, National Public Health Institute, Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Rome, Italy
,
Simona Puzelli
a   Istituto Superiore di Sanità, National Public Health Institute, Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Rome, Italy
,
Maria Interisano
a   Istituto Superiore di Sanità, National Public Health Institute, Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Rome, Italy
,
Maria Fenicia Vescio
a   Istituto Superiore di Sanità, National Public Health Institute, Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Rome, Italy
,
Francesca Farchi
a   Istituto Superiore di Sanità, National Public Health Institute, Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Rome, Italy
,
Abeer Ghazal
b   Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
,
Housam Ashour
c   Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
,
Ezzeldin Saleh
b   Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
,
Massimo Andreoni
d   Infectious Diseases Clinic, University Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
,
Mahmoud El Zalabani
c   Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
,
Isabella Donatelli
a   Istituto Superiore di Sanità, National Public Health Institute, Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Rome, Italy
,
Giovanni Rezza
a   Istituto Superiore di Sanità, National Public Health Institute, Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Rome, Italy
,
Gamal El Sawaf
b   Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
› Author Affiliations
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Further Information

Publication History

01 September 2009

23 February 2010

Publication Date:
28 July 2015 (online)

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Abstract

Acute respiratory infections (ARI) are the leading cause of pediatric morbidity and mortality worldwide. Information on etiological agents of ARI in developing countries is still limited. This study conducted in Alexandria, Egypt, was designed to determine the prevalence of several microorganisms in 113 children hospitalized with ARI. Overall, 65 agents were identified; 58 (51.3%) individuals were found to be positive for at least one pathogen, and seven of them were also positive for two agents. Chlamydophila pneumoniae was the most commonly detected agent (n = 32; 28.3%), followed by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, respiratory syncytial and influenza. Positivity for C. pneumoniae, which was the most commonly detected agent, was associated with male sex and with mild disease of the upper respiratory tract.

Keywords

Acute respiratory infections - PCR - respiratory viruses - atypical bacteria