Occurrence and severity of infections caused by subgroup A and B respiratory syncytial virus in children in southeast Brazil

The frequency and severity of infections caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) were assessed in children <2 years of age seen at the emergency department. The frequency of RSV detection in the clinical virology laboratory during the past 3 years was also analyzed retrospectively. RSV was found in 21.6% (188/869) of the samples collected from children seen at the emergency department and was found to be more frequent during the autumn, being less frequent or negligible by midwinter. RSV subgroups A and B co-circulated within the same time period in children seen at the emergency department, with varying predominance of either subgroup. There was no significant association of RSV subgroup with disease severity, but only a trend for RSV subgroup B being more frequent in children with risk factors for severe disease. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.