Rhinovirus species and clinical features in children hospitalised with pneumonia from Mozambique

OBJECTIVES To describe the prevalence of human rhinovirus (RV) species in children hospitalised with pneumonia in Manhica, Mozambique, and the associations between RV species and demographic, clinical and laboratory features. METHODS Nasopharyngeal aspirates were collected from children 0 to 10 years of age (n = 277) presenting to Manhica District Hospital with clinical pneumonia. Blood samples were collected for HIV and malaria testing, blood culture and full blood counts, and a chest X-ray was performed. A panel of common respiratory viruses was investigated using two independent multiplex RT-PCR assays with primers specific for each virus and viral type. RV species and genotypes were identified by seminested PCR assays, sequencing and phylogenetic tree analyses. RESULTS At least one respiratory virus was identified in 206 (74.4%) children hospitalised with clinical pneumonia. RV was the most common virus identified in both HIV-infected (17 of 38, 44.7%) and HIV-uninfected (74 of 237, 31.2%; P = 0.100) children. RV-A was the most common RV species identified (47 of 275, 17.0%), followed by RV-C (35/275, 12.6%) and RV-B (8/275, 2.9%). Clinical presentation of the different RV species was similar and overlapping, with no particular species being associated with specific clinical features. CONCLUSIONS RV-A and RV-C were the most common respiratory viruses identified in children hospitalised with clinical pneumonia in Manhica. Clinical presentation of RV-A and RV-C was similar and overlapping.