Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Introduction: Respiratory syncytial virus and human metapneumovirus are respiratory pathogens that circulate worldwide. RSV is the most common cause of respiratory tract disease in children; where children {u2264} 3 years of age are usually affected. It is an enveloped, non segmented, negative-sense RNA virus. HMPV was discovered in June 2001 , it was associated with respiratory tract disease in infants and children. Genetic studies of this newly discovered viral pathogen revealed that it was a paramyxovirus and was named human metapneumovirus. Materials and Methods:This is a cross sectional study carried out on 100 patients diagnosed as having acute respiratory infections. The included patients were children up to 6 years of age selected from hospitalized patients in Abo El-Reesh hospital (group A) and the National Cancer Institute 2NCI3 (group B) . Throat swabs were obtained. The collected specimens were subjected to viral RNA extraction and tested for the presence of hMPV and RSV by real time PCR. Results:RSV was detected in ten out of 100 (10%) of the studied cases; 8% in group A and 12% in group B, while hMPV virus was not detected among our studied patients.There was a statistically significant association between detection of the RSV and age of patients in both groups of patients. Conclusion:RSV was detected in 10% of pediatric patients aged less than two years with ARTI with no significant difference regarding the gender. There was a significant association between acute myeloid leukemia and the detection of RSV among the included cancer patients

Issued also as CD