Persistent pathogens in children with recurrent respiratory diseases in various living conditions

The purpose of this study was to study the influence of social and living conditions on the formation of a microbial and immunological background in children with recurrent respiratory diseases. Materials and methods. 407 children aged 7–16 years were examined. Depending on the living conditions of the children, 3 groups were identified: Group I – institutionalized families; group II – children living in unfavorable social conditions, with a lack of parental attention, and group III – from complete, prosperous families. The presence of specific IgM and IgG antibodies in serum to CMV, HSV 1/2, EBV, as well as Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydophila pneumoniae was investigated. When antibodies were detected, a study was conducted for the presence of DNA in an oropharyngeal smear by PCR analysis. All children were in clinical remission for at least 10 days at the time of the study. Results. The registration of the category of «frequently ill children» was most often determined among children from single-parent families living in unfavorable social conditions, with a deficit of parental attention 38,16% higher than in the group of institutionalized children and 2 times compared with children from complete well-off families. Infection with persistent intracellular infections was most often recorded among children from single-parent families living in unfavorable social conditions, with a lack of parental attention, which exceeded the indicators of institutionalized children by 33,33% and was 64,29% higher when compared with children from full, prosperous families.