Description of clinical events associated with respiratory tract pathogens detected in two multiple polymerase chain reaction tests carried out in the pediatric population in a tertiary hospital in the city of Bogotá, Colombia

Abstract

Respiratory tract infections are one of the main causes of emergency room consultation and hospitalization. In patients with serious clinical situations or immunosuppression, it is important to make an etiological diagnosis that allows for targeted treatment to avoid complications. Molecular tests are approved by the U.S. agency. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is approved to be performed on patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit at the Fundación Hospital Pediátrico la Misericordia in Bogotá, Colombia. Purpose: It is a retrospective cohort study that covers the entire hospitalized population during 2019 with the objective of describing clinical events associated with respiratory tract pathogens detected in patients with the following inclusion criteria: events of complicated pneumonia, immunocompromised or with factors such as chronic kidney disease, cystic fibrosis, obesity, bronchopulmonary dysplasia or congenital heart disease. Results: no bacteria were detected in any sample, the most frequent microorganisms were Enterovirus/human rhinovirus (44.2%), Respiratory syncytial virus (33.9%), Adenovirus (18.6%), Metapneumovirus (7%) and Influenza AH1 2009/Influenza B (6.9%). Conclusions: The exclusive detection in molecular tests of viral infections in patients with serious clinical situations allows us to have greater awareness of the importance of these microorganisms in serious infections, especially in situations of immunosuppression where there is a commitment to manage various types of agents, without However, it is important to note that the majority of viral agents detected do not have specific etiological treatment, except in 3 cases of influenza treated with oseltamivir.