Medically Attended Outpatient Parainfluenza Virus Infections in Young Children from a Single Site in Machala, Ecuador

Manika Suryadevara (), Dongliang Wang, Freddy Pizarro Fajardo, Jorge Luis Carrillo Aponte, Froilan Heras, Cinthya Cueva Aponte, Irene Torres and Joseph Domachowske
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Manika Suryadevara: Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13066, USA
Dongliang Wang: Department of Public Health and Preventative Medicine, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13066, USA
Freddy Pizarro Fajardo: Hospital General del Norte de Guayaquil IESS Los Ceibos, Guayaquil 090101, Ecuador
Jorge Luis Carrillo Aponte: Research Center at Hospital Teofilo Davila, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Machala 070102, Ecuador
Froilan Heras: Research Center at Hospital Teofilo Davila, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Machala 070102, Ecuador
Cinthya Cueva Aponte: Research Center at Hospital Teofilo Davila, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Machala 070102, Ecuador
Irene Torres: Fundacion Octaedro, Quito 170150, Ecuador
Joseph Domachowske: Department of Pediatrics, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13066, USA

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 6, 1-11

Abstract: Parainfluenza virus (PIV) infections contribute to the overall childhood morbidity from acute respiratory illness, yet virus-specific epidemiologic data are lacking across many regions globally. Here, we describe the clinical manifestations, seasonality, and meteorologic associations with PIV infections in Ecuadorian children. Between July 2018 and July 2023, we documented demographic and clinical information from children younger than 5 years seen in a single public health clinic with signs and symptoms consistent with an acute respiratory infection. Nasopharyngeal swabs collected at study enrollment underwent multiplex polymerase chain reaction-based diagnostic testing (Biofire FilmArray v. 1.7™). Regional meteorological data from the same period were provided by Ecuador’s Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia e Hidrologia. Parainfluenza viruses were detected in 9% of the 1251 enrolled subjects. PIVs were most frequently detected between March and July, with no change in seasonality following SARS-CoV-2 pandemic onset. Clinical manifestations of PIV infections included non-specific upper respiratory illness (82%), laryngotracheitis (3%), and bronchiolitis (11%). Events of PIV detection were negatively associated with ambient temperature and rainfall. Our findings highlight the contribution that PIVs play in the morbidity associated with pediatric medically attended outpatient respiratory tract infection and provide new insights into the seasonal epidemiology of PIV infections in coastal Ecuador.

Keywords: parainfluenza virus; tropics; pediatrics; respiratory infection; Ecuador (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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