Acute bronchiolitis in infants seen at the pediatric hospital in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

A prospective study was conducted from April 1, 1995, to 31 March, 1996, to evaluate the epidemiologic, clinical, and therapeutic aspects of acute bronchiolitis in infants seen at the Ouagadougou pediatric hospital, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Acute bronchiolitis accounted for 15.6% of acute lower respiratory tract infections and 0.9% of pediatric unit admissions during the study period. Cases were more common during the cooler months of the dry season. Infants younger than six months accounted for 51.6% of the cases. There was a male bias with a sex ratio of 1.4. Mean time from symptom onset to admission was six days. Maintenance of the fluid and electrolyte balance, antimicrobial therapy, oxygen therapy, and bronchodilating agents were the treatments most commonly used. The mortality rate was 8.1%. Factors of adverse prognostic significance were younger age, delayed admission, anemia, and malnutrition.