RSV bronchiolitis in 2018: A descriptive study of children admitted to two Johannesburg tertiary hospitals

Background. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause of severe bronchiolitis in children worldwide.Objectives. To describe clinical characteristics and outcomes of children hospitalised with bronchiolitis and to compare those with RSVbronchiolitis with children with other viral causes of bronchiolitis.Methods. A retrospective study of children admitted with virally screened bronchiolitis to Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg AcademicHospital (CMJAH) and Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital (NMCH) from 1 February to 31 August 2018 was conducted, where RSVpositive and -negative children were compared. These children were identified by the National Health Laboratory Service as havingundergone respiratory viral multiplex molecular assay analysis and hospital charts were retrospectively reviewed.Results. A total of 131 children admitted with bronchiolitis from CMJAH and NMCH were compared in this study, 58 from CMJAHand 73 from NMCH. In the sample group, 65 (49.6%) children had RSV in comparison with 66 (50.4%) children without RSV. Childrenwith RSV comprised 55 (42%) children with RSV only and 10 (7.6%) children with RSV in combination with another respiratory virus.Rhinovirus was the second most common virus detected in this cohort of children (n=17, 12.9%) followed by adenovirus (n=12, 9.2%)and coronavirus (n=9, 6.9%). A statistically significant risk factor noted in children requiring hospitalisation for RSV bronchiolitis wasage less than six months (p<0.001).Conclusions. Bronchiolitis is a common disease in children. Respiratory syncytial virus is the most common cause of severe bronchiolitis in hospitalised infants less than six months of age.