Influence of meteorological and air pollutant factors on the isolation
of RSV in infants admitted for viral bronchiolitis before and during the
COVID-19 pandemic
Abstract
Objectives. The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiology of
RSV bronchiolitis and the influence of meteorological and air pollutant
factors on the isolation of RSV in infants admitted for viral
bronchiolitis during three consecutive years, before and during the
COVID-19 pandemic, in Bogota, Colombia, a middle-income country (MIC)
with a tropical climate. Methods. An analytical cross-sectional study
was conducted before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, including
patients with a diagnosis of viral bronchiolitis admitted to all the
hospitals of the city between January 2019 and November 2021. Predictor
variables included meteorological and air pollutant parameters. We
adjusted multivariable analysis to identify factors independently
associated with isolation of RSV as the causative agent of viral
bronchiolitis. Results. A total of 12,765 patients were included in the
study. After controlling for potential confounders, it was found that
age (OR 0.87; CI 95% 0.77–0.98; p=0.029), COVID-19 pandemic (OR 0.74;
CI 95% 0.64–0.86; p<0.001), temperature (OR 1.85; CI 95%
1.47–2.33; p<0.001), and interaction terms between SES and
NO2 (OR 1.04; CI 95% 1.01–1.07; p=0.002), and between rainfall and NO2
(OR 0.99; CI 95% 0.998–0.999; p=0.010) independently predicted the
isolation of RSV as the causative agent of viral bronchiolitis in our
sample of patients. Conclusions. The identified predictors for isolation
of RSV as the causative agent of viral bronchiolitis provide additional
scientific evidence that may be useful in the development of specific
interventions aimed at ameliorating or preventing the impact of RSV in
Bogota and probably other similar LMICs in high-risk infants.