Respiratory Pathogens in Children 1 Month to 5 Years of Age Presenting With Undifferentiated Acute Respiratory Distress in 2 District-Level Hospitals in Ghana.

Ghanaian children (2176) aged <5 years who presented with undifferentiated acute respiratory distress were tested for respiratory pathogens using a BioFire FilmArray polymerase chain reaction assay. Rhinovirus and/or enterovirus was detected in 36% of the assays, respiratory syncytial virus in 11%, and parainfluenza in 7%. Respiratory syncytial virus and metapneumovirus were detected more frequently in the rainy season than in the dry season.

Continuous positive airway pressure for children with undifferentiated respiratory distress in Ghana: an open-label, cluster, crossover trial.

Background: In low-income and middle-income countries, invasive mechanical ventilation is often not available for children at risk of death from respiratory failure. We aimed to determine if continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), a form of non-invasive ventilation, decreases all-cause mortality in children with undifferentiated respiratory distress in Ghana.

Methods: This open-label, cluster, crossover trial was done in two Ghanaian non-tertiary hospitals where invasive mechanical ventilation is not routinely available.