Nasopharyngeal aspirate value in paediatric chronic lower respiratory tract illness. Issue 6 (7th June 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lunardi, Francesca; Vuljan, Stefania Edith; Perissinotto, Egle; Pezzuto, Federica; Malacrida, Sandro; Bugin, Samuela; Bertozzi, Ilaria; Snijders, Deborah; Rizzo, Stefania; Barbato, Angelo; Calabrese, Fiorella
• Is Part Of: European respiratory journal. Volume 51:Issue 6(2018)
• Publication Date: 2018-06-07
• Subjects: Respiratory organs -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Respiration -- Periodicals; 616.2
• DOI: 10.1183/13993003.01783-2017
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0903-1936

Abstract

Respiratory viruses are a common cause of illness in children and are responsible for high morbidity and hospitalisation [1]. The role of infectious agents in chronic/recurrent lower respiratory tract illness (LRTI) is not clearly defined, whereas it is well known in acute forms and in exacerbation of respiratory diseases [2–4]. We have previously demonstrated a high frequency of viruses, particularly human rhinovirus (HRV), in children affected by chronic/recurrent LRTI whose bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) showed changes in cellularity and inflammatory cytokines [5]. BAL is the gold standard for sensitive detection of infective agents of the lower respiratory tract, even if invasive. Nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA), nasopharyngeal swab and nasal wash have been investigated to find an easier and more reliable technique for viral diagnosis but never in children affected by different forms of chronic/recurrent LRTI [6–8]. Our study aimed to investigate the presence of viral genomes testing the value of NPA in comparison with BAL in a large paediatric population affected by different forms of chronic/recurrent LRTI. Nasopharyngeal aspirate as a sensitive and specific surrogate tool for the detection of respiratory viruses in different forms of chronic/recurrent lower respiratory tract illness http://ow.ly/cd8S30jcwyu