Highlights • Gargle samples were collected from children and tested respiratory viruses. • In 45(45/200; 22.5%) episodes, some respiratory viruses detected without symptoms. • Under asymptomatic conditions, detected viruses were mainly RVs and EV/RV untyped. • PIVs, RSV and hCoV OC43 were detected only when clinical symptom was seen. • Asymptomatic infections may play an important role in the viral circulation. Background Respiratory tract viral infection is one of the most common and important diseases in children. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests are often used to detect viruses in samples, it is difficult to interpret the clinical significance of PCR positivity, which may reflect a past, imminent or active asymptomatic infection due to their high sensitivity. Although single respiratory viruses have been detected in samples from children with symptoms, other respiratory viruses can also be detected simultaneously. However, the clinical importance of these findings for the symptoms is not known. Objectives To investigate the prevalence of respiratory viruses among children without any symptoms such as acute respiratory illness and/or fever. Study design From week twenty-five 2013 to week twenty-six 2014, gargle samples were collected from children once a week and these samples were subjected to real-time PCR to detect respiratory viruses. On each sampling day, we asked the parents about their children’s health condition. Results Among the 286 samples collected, 200 were from asymptomatic children. In the asymptomatic condition, human parechovirus, adenovirus, enterovirus, rhinovirus, coronavirus 229E and HKU1 were observed in 45 episodes. In samples from symptomatic children, parainfluenza viruses, respiratory syncytial virus and coronavirus OC43 were detected in addition to those mentioned above. Conclusions Various viruses of different species were detected in the specimens from the children regardless of their health status. It might be speculated that host factors such as the function of the immune system influence the clinical outcome of the infection. However, this needs to be studied further.
【저자키워드】 respiratory viruses, Coinfection, Real-time PCR, RSV, respiratory syncytial virus, HCoV, human coronavirus, PCR, polymerase chain reaction, healthy children, ADV, adenovirus, HBoV, human bocavirus, PIV, parainfluenza virus, hMPV, human metapneumovirus, EV, enterovirus, RV, rhinovirus, RVA, rhinovirus genogroup A, RVB, rhinovirus genogroup B, RVC, rhinovirus genogroup C, hPeV, human parechovirus, FluV, influenza virus, RT, reverse transcription, Gargle specimen, 【초록키워드】 viruses, viral infection, coronavirus, children, Infection, Symptom, immune system, virus, Symptoms, Clinical outcome, Adenovirus, Prevalence, polymerase chain reaction, sensitivity, PCR, Asymptomatic, rhinovirus, respiratory virus, respiratory syncytial virus, RSV, symptomatic, Fever, asymptomatic infection, Health status, circulation, respiratory, gargle, disease, OC43, HKU1, PCR positivity, parainfluenza, Factor, acute respiratory illness, clinical symptom, specimen, children’s health, parent, coronavirus 229E, Host, objective, Result, tested, detect, collected, addition, conditions, other respiratory virus, asked, hCoV OC43, without symptoms, 【제목키워드】 detection, respiratory virus, specimen,