Development of the Respiratory Index of Severity in Children (RISC) Score among Young Children with Respiratory Infections in South Africa

About the Authors:

Carrie Reed

* E-mail: [email protected]

Affiliations Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America, Epidemic Intelligence Service, Office of Workforce and Career Development, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America

Shabir A. Madhi

Affiliations Respiratory and Meningeal Pathogens Research Unit, Department of Science and Technology/National Research Foundation, Vaccine Preventable Diseases and Medical Research Council, University of the Witwatersrand, Bertsham, South Africa, Hubert Department of Public Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America

Keith P. Klugman

Affiliations Respiratory and Meningeal Pathogens Research Unit, Department of Science and Technology/National Research Foundation, Vaccine Preventable Diseases and Medical Research Council, University of the Witwatersrand, Bertsham, South Africa, Hubert Department of Public Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America

Locadiah Kuwanda

Affiliation: Respiratory and Meningeal Pathogens Research Unit, Department of Science and Technology/National Research Foundation, Vaccine Preventable Diseases and Medical Research Council, University of the Witwatersrand, Bertsham, South Africa

Justin R. Ortiz

Affiliations Epidemic Intelligence Service, Office of Workforce and Career Development, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America

Lyn Finelli

Affiliation: Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America

Alicia M. Fry

Affiliation: Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America

Introduction

Pneumonia is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children less than age five years. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) is responsible for approximately 20% of deaths in children less than five years worldwide, 90% of which is pneumonia [1]. The highest mortality from childhood respiratory infection is seen in resource-limited countries and in children younger than 24 months of age [2]. In children with HIV infection, the burden of pneumonia is even greater, with a broader range of pathogens and a case-fatality ratio three- to six-times higher than children without HIV infection [3],[4].

Effective management of pneumonia in children includes an assessment of...