Objective: This study is to investigate the status and clinical significance of respiratory viruses in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of children with PBB.
Methods: Sixty-eight children with PBB aged from 3 months to 5 years were enrolled and retrospectively reviewed from January 2014 to December 2017. Thirty-five children with persistent pneumonia or chronic pneumonia were matched as controls. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples were collected for respiratory virus detection and bacterial culture.
Results: The detection rate of bacteria in BALF of children with PBB was 61.8%, which was significantly higher than that of control group (20%) (P < 0.001). The detection rate of virus in BALF of children with PBB was 23.5%, including 6 (8.8%) of rhinovirus, 4 (5.9%) of parainfluenza virus type 3, 2(2.9%) of bocavirus, 2 (2.9%) of respiratory syncytial virus 1 (1.5%) of human metapneumonia virus and 1 (1.5%) of influenza virus A. 10 cases (28.6%) of virus were detected in the control group, including 3 (8.6%) respiratory syncytial virus, 3 (8.6%) rhinovirus and 2 (5.7%) bocavirus. There was no significant difference of viral detection rate between the two groups (P = 0.577).
Conclusion: Respiratory viruses can be detected in BALF of children with PBB, However, there is no evidence that PBB is virus-induced.
Keywords: Bacteria; Broncho-alveolar lavage; Children; Protracted bacterial bronchitis; Virus.
Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.