DOI: 10.26650/jchild.2026.1881589 ISSN: 1308-8491

Fever Without a Source in Children Under 3 Years of Age: The Role of Respiratory Viruses

Özge Kaba, Manolya Kara, Murat Sütçü, Hacer Aktürk, Selda Hançerli Törün, Sevim Meşe, Ali Ağaçfidan, Ayper Somer
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Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the role of respiratory viruses during the disease by evaluating patients who presented with fever of unknown origin during their hospitalization.Materials and Methods: Data from 168 patients aged under 3 years were retrospectively analyzed in terms of demographic, clinical, laboratory, and radiological findings.Results: Median age was 11 (1-35) months, and 48.2% were female. Parainfluenza, rhinovirus, and adenovirus were detected more frequently in patients with a single agent. The duration of fever was longer in the presence of multiple viruses (p = 0.01). There was no statistical difference between the duration of fever and the type of virus. Human bocavirus was the most common type detected in patients presenting with febrile convulsions. C-reactive protein levels were high in 70.2% of patients. Antibiotics were started in 79.2% of patients at the time of admission. The median length of hospital stay was 8 days (2-35 days), and this period was longer when the causative agents were respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and enterovirus. Intensive care unit requirement was 15.4%, mainly in patients diagnosed with RSV.Conclusion: Minimally invasive treatment of respiratory viral infections that begin with fever alone in the clinic offers opportunities for rational antibiotic and health care use.

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