Hospitalizations for acute lower respiratory tract infection due to respiratory syncytial virus in Thailand, 2008-2011.
BACKGROUND
Few population-based estimates of the incidence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in low- or middle-income countries are available. We describe the incidence and epidemiology of hospitalizations for RSV-associated acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRI) detected by active population-based surveillance in 2 rural Thailand provinces during 2008-2011.


METHODS
Patients hospitalized with ALRI were systematically sampled. Consenting patients provided nasopharyngeal swab specimens for RSV testing by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction.


RESULTS
Of 13 982 enrolled patients hospitalized with ALRI, 1137 (8.1%) were RSV positive. After adjustment for sampling and nonenrollment, the incidence of RSV-associated ALRI hospitalization was 85 cases per 100,000 persons/year. The highest rates occurred among children aged <5 years (981 cases per 100,000 persons/year) and <1 year (1543 cases per 100,000 persons/year). Rates were low among older children and young adults but high among persons aged >65 years (130 cases per 100,000 persons/year). Eight (0.7%) RSV-infected study patients died during hospitalization. Annual RSV hospitalizations peaked during July-October with almost no documented RSV hospitalizations during January-June.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings demonstrate the substantial contribution of RSV to global ALRI burden, especially in children aged <5 years and the elderly, and underscore the urgent need for effective prevention measures.
['Naorat|Sathapana|S|', 'Chittaganpitch|Malinee|M|', 'Thamthitiwat|Somsak|S|', 'Henchaichon|Sununta|S|', 'Sawatwong|Pongpun|P|', 'Srisaengchai|Prasong|P|', 'Lu|Ying|Y|', 'Chuananon|Somchai|S|', 'Amornintapichet|Tussanee|T|', 'Chantra|Somrak|S|', 'Erdman|Dean D|DD|', 'Maloney|Susan A|SA|', 'Akarasewi|Passakorn|P|', 'Baggett|Henry C|HC|']
D000208:Acute Disease D000293:Adolescent D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D002648:Child D002675:Child, Preschool D005260:Female D006760:Hospitalization D006801:Humans D015994:Incidence D007223:Infant D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D011159:Population Surveillance D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections D018113:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections D012424:Rural Population D013785:Thailand D055815:Young Adult
respiratory syncytial virus Thailand acute lower respiratory infection