Viral pneumonia in children. Literature review
https://doi.org/10.22625/2072-6732-2025-17-4-19-28
Abstract
Modern research confirms that viruses can cause the development of 15-55% of all community-acquired pneumonia, which is about 200 million cases per year, and about half of them occur in the pediatric population. The main causative agents of viral pneumonia in children are: respiratory syncytial virus (7-44% of all cases of community-acquired pneumonia in children), influenza virus (5–20%), adenovirus (3– 18%), parainfluenza virus (2.5–25%), etc. The pathogenesis of viral pneumonia is complex: the sequential introduction of the pathogen into the lower respiratory tract, penetration into the cells of interstitial tissue, bronchial and alveolar epithelium, activation of the processes of infiltration and proliferation. This leads to swelling of the interalveolar septa and the appearance of exudate in the alveoli, which leads to a disorder of the ventilation-perfusion relationship and arterial hypoxemia. The clinical picture of viral pneumonia in children is nonspecific: gradual onset, upper respiratory tract lesion, fever, tachycardia and/or tachypnea, absence of purulent sputum, concomitant gastrointestinal symptoms. In children, the signs of respiratory failure are often the leading ones, prevailing over the severity of fever and intoxication. Auscultation data – diffuse bilateral wheezing. Instrumental and laboratory diagnostics of viral pneumonia has a rather low specificity and is not always available. The “gold standard” includes computed tomography and methods of nucleic acid amplification. Experts recommend prescribing antibacterial therapy to all patients with signs of pneumonia, since today there are no highly sensitive and specific methods necessary to exclude the bacterial nature of the disease.
About the Authors
S. V. Khaliullina
Kazan State Medical University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Kazan
V. A. Anokhin
Kazan State Medical University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Kazan
M. R. Gataullin
Republican Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital named after professor A.F. Agafonov
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Kazan
V. A. Pozdnyak
Kazan State Medical University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Kazan
O. A. Nazarova
Kazan State Medical University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Kazan
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Review
For citations:
Khaliullina S.V., Anokhin V.A., Gataullin M.R., Pozdnyak V.A., Nazarova O.A. Viral pneumonia in children. Literature review. Journal Infectology. 2025;17(4):19-28. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.22625/2072-6732-2025-17-4-19-28
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