INVASIVE CHLAMYDIA PNEUMONIA INFECTIONS IN CHILDREN WITH ACUTE LOWER RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS

Wang YJ¹, Shen XZH¹, Tong YJ¹, et al

¹Beijing Children��s Hospital, Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China

Objective: To investigate invasive chlamydia pneumonia infections in children with acute lower respiratory tract infections��ALRI��.

Methods: 201 consecutive infants and children from 3 months to 14 years of age with symptoms and signs compatible with ALRI were studied prospectively in the largest pediatric hospital in Beijing in 1997 and 1998. The paired sera samples for chlamydia pneumonia antibody detections were taken by means of micro-immunofluorescence, and the course of illness was monitored uniformly.

Results: Microbiology:Evidence of acute chlamydia pneumonia was found in 21 cases (21.0%) in 1997 and 2 cases (2%) in 1998 in 201 children with ALRI. Clinical characteristics: Cough was the first symptom, and then fever. Wheeze was only seen in young infants group. CRP was 20mg/l or greater in 11 patients, and they were only found in older children. All the patients were indisputable alveolar pneumonia.

Conclusions: There were chlamydia pneumonia infections in children with acute lower respiratory tract infections��ALRI��, and prevalence of the infections in 1997 were much higher than in 1998.

1313