First Report of Human Parechovirus(HPeVs) Infection in Egyptian Children

Background: Human parechoviruses (HPeVs) often cause gastrointestinal or respiratory or sepsis- like illness. In previous studies in our hospital, a pathogen was identified in less than 70% of patients with severe acute respiratory infection (SARI).

Objectives: We aimed to 1- explore the role of HPeVs in infants and young children admitted to inpatient departments and/or pediatric intensive care units (PICU) with SARI. 2-Describe the clinical characteristics of respiratory infections caused by HPeVs.

Methods: This cross- sectional study was carried out at Cairo University Specialized Pediatric Hospital. The study included 100 consecutive patients below 5 yearsold, admitted to PICU or inpatient wards with SARI.Nasopharyngeal/ oropharyngeal swabs were collected from patients on viral transport medium, and immediately transported to the hospital laboratory. We tested all samples for HPeV by real-time PCR, in addition to routine laboratory tests for common bacterial and viral respiratory pathogens,

Results: Three patients (3%) out of 100 enrolled patients had positive real-time PCR for HPeVs. All 3 patients had high grade fever (> 39C). Two of the patients had moderate severity of lower respiratory infection (RD2), and the illness resolved without complications. The third patient had Severe (RD3) illness, bilateral lower limb edema, anemia, leucocytosis; and was complicated by myocarditis.

Conclusion: We detected HPeVs for the first time in Egyptian children. Respiratory infection with HPeVs was complicated with myocarditis in one out of 3 HPeVspatients.