Epidemiology and risk factors of respiratory syncytial virus associated acute respiratory tract infection in hospitalized children younger than 5 years from Sri Lanka

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of acute respiratory tract infections (ARTI) and a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children worldwide. Aim: This study aimed to describe the prevalence and seasonal patterns of RSV and to determine the actual and predictive association of RSV-associated ARTI and clinical, socio-demographic, and climatic risk factors in children 6), having pets at home and inhaling toxic fumes. The inferential analysis predicts RSV infection in children 4days, cough, conjunctivitis, stuffiness, fatigue, six or more people at home, having pets at home and inhaling toxic fumes. Climatic factors like increases in temperature (°C), wind speed (Km/h), wind gust (Km/h), rainfall (mm) and atmospheric pressure (mb) showed a strong correlation with the RSV infection in children.