Etiology, Seasonality, and Clinical Features of Viral Respiratory Tract Infections in Children Hospitalized With Acute Bronchiolitis: A Single-Center Study

Gökçe, Sule; Kurugöl, Zafer; Koturoglu, Güldane; Çiçek, Candan; Aslan, Asli

Infants who were hospitalized with AB were recruited with informed, written, parental consent. According to the recommendations of AAP guidelines, the diagnosis of AB was based on at least 2 of the following signs: chest retractions, tachypnea, and wheezing or rales on auscultation following viral upper respiratory tract infection in children less than 24 months of age for the first time. 11 Excluded were infants who hospitalized within 2 weeks before the current admission, those who developed nosocomial AB, or those who had a known history of bronchopulmonary dysplasia or chronic lung disease or congenital heart disease or any immunodeficiency. Infants who were born prematurely were also excluded from the study. Detailed demographic data including age, gender, smoke exposure, and epidemiological data were collected with a structured questionnaire and from medical files of all patients on admission.