Respiratory syncytial virus-related bronchiolitis in Puerto Rico.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an important cause of respiratory tract disease in infants and young children. Immunoprophylaxis is available for high-risk infants. This study reviews infants with bronchiolitis at three primary care hospitals to describe the epidemiology of RSV infection in Puerto Rico.

METHODS: We analyzed data from 2 hospitals by obtaining the number of infants diagnosed with bronchiolitis and estimating the percentage of cases due to RSV. A third hospital included patients with confirmed RSV infection.

RESULTS: There were 4,557 patients in the study. RSV infection occurred throughout the year. Data shows a progressive decrease in RSV-positive infections.

CONCLUSIONS: Data confirms year-round incidence of RSV in Puerto Rico. A standardized surveillance system in Puerto Rico is imperative to determine RSV epidemiology. The decrease in positive RSV infections may be due to the introduction of immunoprophylaxis to high-risk patients.