Prevalence, pattern of distribution and characterization of respiratory syncytial virus associated acute respiratory tract infections in hospitalized children less than 5 years in a general hospital in Sri Lanka from 2016–2018

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is one of the most common respiratory viruses causing acute respiratory tract infections (ARTI) in children. Detailed data on RSV infections including the RSV types circulating in Sri Lanka are not available. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, patterns and characterization of RSV associated ARTI in hospitalized children less than 5 years in a general hospital in Sri Lanka. We tested 500 nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA) samples collected from children with suspected viral ARTI from May 2016 to July 2018 from Kegalle General Hospital, Sri Lanka for RSV using antigen detection by an immunofluorescence assay (IFA). RSV positive samples were further characterized using the real time RT-PCR. RSV was the predominant virus associated with ARTI with a prevalence of 28% (140/500) in the study sample. RSV in was also detected in more co-infections with other respiratory viruses. RSV was detected throughout the year with peak periods from June to August 2016, March to July 2017 and May to July 2018. Of the 140 RSV positive children tested, 72.14% had RSV-B, while 27.86% had RSV-A infection. Both RSV subtypes were detected throughout the study period with overlapping patterns. A few co-infections between RSV-A and RSV-B were detected during the co-circulation. RSV was the most prevalent virus and RSV-B was the predominant subgroup associated with ARTI in the children <5 years in Sri Lanka from May 2016 to July 2018. RSV was detected throughout the study period with peaks in certain months in the study area.