Circulating pattern of respiratory viruses, in Egypt, Season 2013-2014

Abstract: Lower and Upper respiratory tract viral infections; LRTIs and URTIs are among the most common causing infections in humans, especially in children and infants. Objective: This study, provides the evidence of using modern techniques as the multiplex PCR method, as a helpful tool in identifying the circulating pattern of respiratory viruses, in Egypt, thus this could help in identifying and inventing new treatment and vaccines. Subjects and methods: A number of 237 nasopharyngeal aspirates, were collected between December 2013 to November 2014, from 2 Egyptian fever hospitals, classified into 3 groups; group 1; 37 normal persons, group 2; 100 patients with LRTIs or pneumatic group and group 3; 100 patients with URTIs or common cold group, then the results were assayed using multiplex RT-PCR, in the Central Public Health Laboratories, CPHL, Ministry of Health, Cairo, Egypt.Results: Respiratory viruses, were detected in 152 cases, where the human rhinovirus was the most prominent; 15.6%, followed by the respiratory syncytial virus, 10.5%, metapneumovirus; 13%, influenza-A (Flu-A); 6.3%, adenovirus (AdV); 5.9%, influenza-B (Flu-B); 5.4%, parainfluenza-3 (PIV-3); 4% and a percentage of 0.42% infection for parainfluenza-1 (PIV-1), parainfluenza-2 (PIV-2) and human bocavirus (HBoV). No infections with parainfluenza-4, enterovirus nor the coronaviruses were detected. Both season and age of the patients, affect the detection rate of the analysis.Key words: Respiratory viruses; multiplex RT-PCR; LRTIs; URTIs; Egypt.