Clinical characteristics and incidence of bacterial and viral pathogens in patients hospitalized with community acquired pneumonia in childhood in Konya between October 2008 and February 2010

Objective: It was aimed to investigate clinical characteristics and incidence of bacterial and viral pathogens in patients who were hospitalized with the clinical diagnosis of community acquired pneumonia (CAP). Method: In this study 91 patients at the ages between one month and six years who required hospitalization and were admitted to pediatrics clinics and pediatric emergency services of the Seluk University Meram Medical Faculty, and also who did not use antibiotics for 48 hours before hospital admission and had the clinical diagnosis of CAP were investigated from October 2008 to February 2010. Demographic and clinic characteristics of the patients were recorded. Blood samples for complete blood count, erytrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, blood culture and nasopharyngeal aspirate samples for detection of the viral etiologies by real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were taken at the time of hospital admission. Initial posteroanterior (PA) chest X-rays of all patients were checked. Results: The agents of pneumonia were detected in 24.2% (22/91) but not in 75.8% (69/91) of our patients. Of 91 patients, 11 (12.1%) were positive for viral infections, 9 (9.9%) were positive for only bacterial infections, 3 (3.3%) had viral coenfection, 2 (2.2%) were positive for both viral and bacterial infections. Out of 11 viral positive patients, 7, 2, 1, 2, and 1 patients diagnosis of viral infections may avoid unnecessary the use of antibiotic. Further comprehensive and randomized controlled studies are needed to confirm our results.