Epidemiology of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Hospitalized Pediatric Patients

Objectives: Identify the possible bacterial infectious etiologies in hospitalized children with community acquired pneumonia in the Complejo Asistencial of Leon during one year and know their epidemiological and clinical characteristics and treatments prescribed. Materials and methods: An observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study was designed. Children whose ages ranges from 1 month to 14 years who were hospitalized with the diagnosis of community acquired pneumonia or bron-chopneumonia during the period ranging from June 1, 2005 to May 31, 2006 in the Complejo Asistencial of Leon was designed. Demographic, environmental, clinical, radiological, laboratory analysis and treatment data were collected. Results: Atotal of 78 patients made up the sample. Mean age was 45.8 +/- 31.3 months. Most of the episodes occurred in the months of fall and winder (37.2% and 29.5%, respectively). A total of 18 patients had typical bacterial pneumonia (23%), and 5 patients atypical pneumonia (6.4%), and there is 70.5% in whom the etiology has not been classified. Comparing the first 2 groups, no data that significantly showed any differences between both were found. However, the first group showed a greater percentage of necrotizing pneumonia that required pleural drainage. Conclusion: ommunity acquired pneumonia or bronchopneumonia in children has an elevated morbidity. The etiological diagnosis is a difficult task. Pneumoccocus plays a very important role in this type of infection.