Change on the Circulation of Respiratory Viruses and Pediatric Healthcare Utilization during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Asturias, Northern Spain

Garcia-Garcia, Elisa; Rodríguez-Pérez, Mercedes; Melón, Santiago; Montes, Reyes Fernández; Castañón, C. Suárez; Bello, Ma Cristina Amigo; Dehli, Cristina Rodríguez; Pérez-Méndez, Carlos; Álvarez, Ma Agustina Alonso; Calle-Miguel, Laura

doi:10.3390/children9101464

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Specifically, between CW 51/2020 and CW 21/2021, a total of 2382 combined SARS-CoV-2/FLU/RSV tests resulted in zero detections of influenza virus and RSV. Our data are thus in accordance with a recent study from Greece, which observed no detection of influenza virus in 2021 [ 49 ], and a study from Spain that reported no influenza or RSV detections in children between CW 14/2020 and CW 19/2021 [ 50 ]. Similarly, a study from Madagascar reported no detection of influenza virus and reduced RSV detections in the cold season 2020/2021 [ 51 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Single-Center Experience in Detecting Influenza Virus, RSV and SARS-CoV-2 at the Emergency Department

Nairz

Todorovic

Gehrer

et al. 2023

Viruses

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Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) on respiratory tract swabs has become the gold standard for sensitive and specific detection of influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In this retrospective analysis, we report on the successive implementation and routine use of multiplex RT-PCR testing for patients admitted to the Internal Medicine Emergency Department (ED) at a tertiary care center in Western Austria, one of the hotspots in the early coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Europe. Our description focuses on the use of the Cepheid® Xpert® Xpress closed RT-PCR system in point-of-care testing (POCT). Our indications for RT-PCR testing changed during the observation period: From the cold season 2016/2017 until the cold season 2019/2020, we used RT-PCR to diagnose influenza or RSV infection in patients with fever and/or respiratory symptoms. Starting in March 2020, we used the RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 and a multiplex version for the combined detection of all these three respiratory viruses to also screen subjects who did not present with symptoms of infection but needed in-hospital medical treatment for other reasons. Expectedly, the switch to a more liberal RT-PCR test strategy resulted in a substantial increase in the number of tests. Nevertheless, we observed an immediate decline in influenza virus and RSV detections in early 2020 that coincided with public SARS-CoV-2 containment measures. In contrast, the extensive use of the combined RT-PCR test enabled us to monitor the re-emergence of influenza and RSV detections, including asymptomatic cases, at the end of 2022 when COVID-19 containment measures were no longer in place. Our analysis of PCR results for respiratory viruses from a real-life setting at an ED provides valuable information on the epidemiology of those infections over several years, their contribution to morbidity and need for hospital admission, the risk for nosocomial introduction of such infection into hospitals from asymptomatic carriers, and guidance as to how general precautions and prophylactic strategies affect the dynamics of those infections.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Single-Center Experience in Detecting Influenza Virus, RSV and SARS-CoV-2 at the Emergency Department

Nairz

Todorovic

Gehrer

et al. 2023

Viruses

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“…These pandemic measures likely helped avoid infection with other respiratory pathogens. For example, in a study conducted in Northern Spain, the usual seasonal respiratory viruses, such as RSV, Rhino/Entero, HMPV, PIV, Flu, CoV, and AdVs, were found nearly absent in the pediatric population between 2018-2019 and 2020-2021 [10]. In Mexico, the national indicators showed a decreased incidence of Flu infection after the implementation of NPIs on March 23, 2020 [11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Frequency of Respiratory Virus-Associated infection among Children and Adolescents from a Tertiary-Care Hospital in Mexico City

Nieto-Rivera,

Saldaña-Ahuactzi,

Parra-Ortega

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality among children. The causative pathogens show geographic and seasonal variations. We retrospectively evaluated the frequency and seasonality of respiratory pathogens in children and adolescents (age: 0–19 years) with ARIs treated between January 1, 2021, and March 31, 2022, at a single center in Mexico. Out of 2,400 patients, 1,603 were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection and 797 were diagnosed with other common respiratory pathogens (CRPs). Of the 797, 632 patients were infected with one CRP and 165 with >2 CRPs. Deaths occurred only in SARS-CoV-2-infected patients. Rhinovirus/Enterovirus, respiratory syncytial virus B, and parainfluenza virus 3 were the most prevalent in cases with single and multiple infections. The respiratory pathogens showed a high frequency between autumn and winter of 2021, generating the highest incidence of hospitalization compared to COVID-19. The main comorbidities were immunosuppression, cardiovascular disease (CD), and asthma. The frequency of CRPs showed a downward trend throughout the first half of 2021. CRPs increased in single- and co-infection cases between the fourth and fifth waves of COVID-19, probably due to decreased nonpharmaceutical interventions. Age, cyanosis (symptom), and immunosuppression (comorbidity) were found to differentiate between SARS-CoV-2 infection and CRP infection.

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Association between the Seroprevalence of Antibodies against Seasonal Alphacoronaviruses and SARS-CoV-2 Humoral Immune Response, COVID-19 Severity, and Influenza Vaccination

Brydak

Sikora

Poniedziałek

et al. 2023

JCM

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The present study assesses the seroprevalence of antibodies against seasonal human alphacoronaviruses 229E and NL63 among adult patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, and its association with the humoral response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and its severity, and influenza vaccination. A serosurvey was conducted to quantify the presence of IgG antibodies against the nucleocapsid of 229E (anti-229E-N) and NL63 (anti-NL63-N), and anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies (against nucleocapsid, receptor-binding domain, S2 domain, envelope, and papain-like protease) for 1315 Polish patients. The seroprevalence of anti-229E-N and anti-NL63 in the studied cohort was 3.3% and 2.4%. Seropositive individuals had a higher prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies, higher titers of the selected anti-SARS-CoV2 antibodies, and higher odds of an asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR = 2.5 for 229E and OR = 2.7 for NL63). Lastly, the individuals vaccinated against influenza in the 2019/2020 epidemic season had lower odds of seropositivity to 229E (OR = 0.38). The 229E and NL63 seroprevalence was below the expected pre-pandemic levels (up to 10%), likely due to social distancing, increased hygiene, and face masking. The study also suggests that exposure to seasonal alphacoronaviruses may improve humoral responses to SARS-CoV-2 while decreasing the clinical significance of its infection. It also adds to accumulating evidence of the favorable indirect effects of influenza vaccination. However, the findings of the present study are of a correlative nature and thereby do not necessarily imply causation.

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Change on the Circulation of Respiratory Viruses and Pediatric Healthcare Utilization during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Asturias, Northern Spain

Cited by 3 publications

References 20 publications

Single-Center Experience in Detecting Influenza Virus, RSV and SARS-CoV-2 at the Emergency Department

Single-Center Experience in Detecting Influenza Virus, RSV and SARS-CoV-2 at the Emergency Department

Frequency of Respiratory Virus-Associated infection among Children and Adolescents from a Tertiary-Care Hospital in Mexico City

Association between the Seroprevalence of Antibodies against Seasonal Alphacoronaviruses and SARS-CoV-2 Humoral Immune Response, COVID-19 Severity, and Influenza Vaccination

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