To determine whether viral coinfection is a risk for severe lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI).
Children with viral coinfection had a higher risk for admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) than those with a single virus infection.
Retrospective, observational study for ten years.
Children between 1-60 months of age hospitalized with LRTI.
We defined severe LRTI as admission to the ICU for high-flow nasal cannula oxygen/bilevel positive airway pressure/invasive ventilation and assessed demographic and laboratory data with potential risk factors from the patients’ medical records.
Of 2115 children hospitalized with LRTI, 562 had severe, and 1553 had mild disease. Viral coinfection was present in 28.3% of all patients, and those with viral coinfection were at a higher risk of severe LRTI than those with a single virus infection (43.8% vs. 22.7%; aOR, 3.44; 95% CI, 2.74-4.53). Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and rhinovirus (except for between 25-60 months) coinfections were associated with severe LRTI in all ages, whereas parainfluenza virus-3 (PIV3; 7-24 months) and bocavirus (7-12 months) coinfections led to severe LRTI in early childhood. Moreover, influenza-A coinfection caused severe LRTI in children between 7-12 and 25-60 months. Other risk factors included young age, prematurity, history of atopy, exposure to tobacco smoke, underlying condition, neutrophilia, lymphopenia, and high CRP value.
Children with viral coinfection, particularly with rhinovirus, RSV, influenza-A, PIV3, and bocavirus, may be followed closely regarding the clinical changes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

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