Epidemiology and prevention of respiratory syncytial virus infections in children in Italy

Table 1 Case definitions for community- and hospital-based RSV surveillance: Italy and WHO recommendations [36, 37]

Case definition	Criteria
ILI	Measured body temperature ≥ 38C°
	Cough
	Acute – defined as onset within the past 10 days
ARI	Acute – defined as sudden onset of symptoms
	Respiratory infection – defined as having at least one of the following:
	Shortness of breath
	Cough
	Sore throat
	Coryza
SARI	Severe – defined as requiring hospitalization
	Acute – defined as onset within the past 10 days
	Respiratory infection, with cough and/or shortness of breath
	In infants < 6 months old, possible apnea and/or sepsis
LRTI	LRTI, which can affect the bronchi, the bronchioles, and the lungs: bronchitis, bronchiolitis, pneumonia
LRTI	No standard definition for its identification

ARI acute respiratory infection, ILI influenza-like illness, LRTI lower respiratory tract infection, RSV respiratory syncytial virus, SARI severe acute respiratory infection, WHO World Health Organization

ISSN: 1824-7288