Acute bronchiolitis during the COVID-19 pandemic

Patricia Flores-Pérez; Nathalia Gerig; Mª Isabel Cabrera-López; José L de Unzueta-Roch; Teresa Del Rosal; Cristina Calvo; COVID-19 Study Group in Children

doi:10.1016/j.eimce.2021.06.005

Acute bronchiolitis during the COVID-19 pandemic

Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin (Engl Ed). 2022 Dec;40(10):572-575. doi: 10.1016/j.eimce.2021.06.005.

Authors

Patricia Flores-Pérez¹, Nathalia Gerig², Mª Isabel Cabrera-López¹, José L de Unzueta-Roch¹, Teresa Del Rosal², Cristina Calvo³; COVID-19 Study Group in Children

Affiliations

¹ Pediatric Department, Hospital Universitario Niño Jesús, Madrid, Spain.
² Pediatric Infectious Diseases Department, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Fundación IdiPaz, Traslational Research Network in Pediatric Infectious Diseases (RITIP), Madrid, Spain.
³ Pediatric Infectious Diseases Department, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Fundación IdiPaz, Traslational Research Network in Pediatric Infectious Diseases (RITIP), Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: [email protected].

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Introduction: The autumn and winter bronchiolitis epidemics have virtually disappeared in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our objectives were characterised bronchiolitis during fourth quarter of 2020 and the role played by SARS-CoV-2.

Methods: Prospective multi-centre study performed in Madrid (Spain) between October and December 2020 including all children admitted with acute bronchiolitis. Clinical data were collected and multiplex PCR for respiratory viruses were performed.

Results: Thirty-three patients were hospitalised with bronchiolitis during the study period: 28 corresponded to rhinovirus (RV), 4 to SARS-CoV-2, and 1 had both types of infection. SAR-CoV-2 bronchiolitis were comparable to RV bronchiolitis except for a shorter hospital stay. A significant decrease in the admission rate for bronchiolitis was found and no RSV was isolated.

Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 infection rarely causes acute bronchiolitis and it is not associated with a severe clinical course. During COVID-19 pandemic period there was a marked decrease in bronchiolitis cases.

Introducción: La epidemia de bronquiolitis de otoño e invierno prácticamente desapareció durante el primer año de la pandemia de COVID-19.

Nuestros objetivos eran caracterizar la bronquiolitis durante el cuarto trimestre de 2020 y determinar el papel desempeñado por el virus SARS-CoV-2.

Métodos: Estudio multicéntrico prospectivo realizado en Madrid (España) entre los meses de octubre y diciembre de 2020, que incluyó a todos los niños ingresados con bronquiolitis aguda. Se recogieron los datos clínicos y se realizó una PCR múltiple para virus respiratorios.

Resultados: Se hospitalizó a treinta y tres pacientes con bronquiolitis durante el periodo del estudio: 28 correspondieron a rinovirus, 4 a SARS-CoV-2 y uno presentaba ambos tipos de infección. Las bronquiolitis por SAR-CoV-2 fueron comparables a las bronquiolitis por rinovirus, salvo por una estancia hospitalaria más corta. Se detectó una reducción significativa en la tasa de ingresos por bronquiolitis y no se aisló VSR.

Conclusión: Es raro que la infección por SARS-CoV-2 cause bronquiolitis aguda y no se asocia a una evolución clínica grave. Durante la pandemia de COVID-19 se produjo un descenso pronunciado de los casos de bronquiolitis.

Keywords: Bronchiolitis; Bronquiolitis; COVID-19; Children; Niños; Pandemia; Pandemic; Rhinovirus; Rinovirus; SARS-CoV-2; Sincitial respiratory virus; Virus sincitial respiratorio.

Publication types

Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

Bronchiolitis* / epidemiology
COVID-19* / epidemiology
Child
Enterovirus Infections*
Humans
Pandemics
Prospective Studies
SARS-CoV-2

Abstract in English, Spanish

Publication types

MeSH terms

Abstract
in English, Spanish