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This study aims to assess the incidence of RSV and evaluate the effectiveness of various diagnostic tests in young children with acute respiratory illness.

March 6, 2026Open Access

Risk factors and diagnostic accuracy in pediatric respiratory syncytial virus-associated acute respiratory illness: A cross-sectional study

ZNZ. NaimJawaharlal Nehru Medical College Hospital HSHiba Sami ARAdil RazaJawaharlal Nehru Medical College Hospital

Key Points

This study aims to assess the incidence of RSV and evaluate the effectiveness of various diagnostic tests in young children with acute respiratory illness.
Collected 104 nasopharyngeal and blood samples from infants and young children with acute respiratory tract infection.
Used rapid antigen tests and various PCR methods for RSV detection.
Conducted statistical analysis using Chi-square test with significance at p < 0.05.
62.5% of samples tested positive for RSV, while 1.92% tested positive for influenza.
Peak RSV incidence occurred from October to January, with common symptoms including tachypnea (98%) and fever (85%).
Diagnostic performance showed higher detection rates for real-time PCR (61.5%) compared to other methods.

Abstract

Objectives: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), an enveloped single-stranded ribonucleic acid virus with two subgroups (RSV A and B), is a major cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRTI) in young children. This study assessed RSV incidence, risk factors, and compared diagnostic methods: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), rapid antigen test, conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and real-time PCR. Materials and Methods: A total of 104 nasopharyngeal and blood samples were collected from infants and young children with ALRTI. RSV antigen was detected using a rapid test. Real-time PCR and conventional PCR were performed on swab specimens, along with viral culture on Vero cell lines. Statistical analysis: The Chi-square test was applied; p < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Of 104 samples, 65 (62.5%) were RSV positive, and 2 (1.92%) had influenza. The male: female was 1.8:1. The mean age was 10.4 ± 12.15 months; the median was 5 months. RSV peaked from October to January. Common symptoms included tachypnea (98%), fever (85%), and cough (83%). Risk factors significantly associated with RSV were overcrowding, lack of exclusive breastfeeding, and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit admission. Detection rates were Real-time PCR (61.5%), ELISA (56.9%), conventional PCR (46.1%), and rapid test (20%). Conclusions: The variability in diagnostic performance underscores the need for sensitive and specific molecular assays for RSV detection.

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