Viral pneumonia in Danish children

INTRODUCTION: Viral pneumonia is a common cause of hospital admission among Danish children. However, it remains unknown how many admissions among Danish children may be ascribed to viral pneumonia overall.

METHODS: Based on data drawn from the National Patient Register and the Danish Microbiology Database, hospital admissions for viral pneumonia and asthma-like disease were investigated among Danish children and adolescents less than 18 years. Testing of admitted patients for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza virus was also considered.

RESULTS: A total of 5,218 admissions with a diagnosis of viral pneumonia were identified among Danish children and adolescents less than 18 years from 2012 to 2016. During the same period, 63,731 tests were conducted during hospital admission for RSV or influenza virus, which produced 9,933 positive tests for RSV and 3,287 for influenza. In addition, 43,213 admissions were due to asthma-like disease.

CONCLUSIONS: The present study documented overlapping age and seasonal epidemiological patterns of different measures of viral pneumonia among Danish children and presented how the collection of data from different sources (diagnoses and diagnostic tests) yielded a more complete picture of the burden of hospital contacts among Danish children and adolescents caused by viral pneumonia. Viral pneumonia is a very common cause of hospital admission among Danish children and adolescents.

FUNDING: No specific funding was available for the present project.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: not relevant.