Decrease in norovirus infections in Germany following COVID-19 containment measures

Eigner, Ulrich; Verstraeten, Thomas; Weil, J.

doi:10.1016/j.jinf.2021.02.012

Cited by 48 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 7 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…The substantial decline of norovirus in 2020 from an historical baseline rate in Pre-COVID-19 was observed, which aligned with results from England, Germany, Australia and the United States [ 13 , [26] , [27] , [28] ]. Our results also extended the available finding by showing that rotavirus A, adenovirus, and DEC were likewise reduced for their activity in 2020.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 74%

“…This effect was ubiquitous for most of the tested pathogens, logically supporting the role of NPIs (e.g., social isolation, hand hygiene, face masks, school closures, etc.) against the transmission of common enteropathogens [26] , [27] , [28] . Although with fecal-oral transmission route, the enteric pathogens were likewise susceptible to most of the NPIs that were aimed to contain the respiratory transmission.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

The changing pattern of enteric pathogen infections in China during the COVID-19 pandemic: a nation-wide observational study

Wang

Han

Zhou

et al. 2021

The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Non pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) including hand washing directives were implemented in China and worldwide to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, which are likely to have had impacted a broad spectrum of enteric pathogen infections. Methods Etiologically diagnostic data from 45 937 and 67 395 patients with acute diarrhea between 2012 and 2020, who were tested for seven viral pathogens and 13 bacteria respectively, were analyzed to assess the changes of enteric pathogen infections in China during the first COVID-19 pandemic year compared to pre-pandemic years. Findings Test positive rates of all enteric viruses decreased during 2020, compared to the average levels during 2012−2019, with a relative decrease of 71•75% for adenovirus, 58•76% for norovirus, 53•50% for rotavirus A, and 72•07% for the combination of other four uncommon viruses. In general, a larger reduction of positive rate in viruses was seen among adults than pediatric patients. A rebound of rotavirus A was seen after September 2020 in North China rather than South China. Test positive rates of bacteria decreased during 2020, compared to the average levels during 2012−2019, excepting for nontyphoidal Salmonella and Campylobacter coli with 66•53% and 90•48% increase respectively. This increase was larger for pediatric patients than for adult patients. Interpretation The activity of enteric pathogens changed profoundly alongside the NPIs implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Greater reductions of the test positive rates were found for almost all enteric viruses than for bacteria among acute diarrhea patients, with further large differences by age and geography. Lifting of NPIs will lead to resurgence of enteric pathogen infections, particularly in children whose immunity may not have been developed and/or waned. Funding China Mega-Project on Infectious Disease Prevention; National Natural Science Funds.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 74%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The changing pattern of enteric pathogen infections in China during the COVID-19 pandemic: a nation-wide observational study

Wang

Han

Zhou

et al. 2021

The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Douglas et al recently reported sharp reductions (greater than 80%) in cases based on data from multiple surveillance programs in England [ 4 ]. Eigner et al reported a sharp decrease in the proportion of hospitalized patients in Germany positive for norovirus (less than 1.0%) [ 5 ]. Similarly, the number of norovirus associated outbreaks dramatically declined in Australia after the COVID-19 pandemic started in 2020 compared with previous years [ 6 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reduction in Sporadic Norovirus Infections Following the Start of the COVID-19 Pandemic, 2019–2020, Philadelphia

Nachamkin

Richard-Greenblatt

et al. 2021

Infect Dis Ther

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Introduction Norovirus infections are common in the USA and worldwide. Detection of norovirus in fecal samples is now common in routine tests for enteric pathogens using molecular methods. We observed a change in positivity rates for norovirus after the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in our laboratory and performed a more detailed analysis of testing results. Methods We reviewed the positivity rates for detection of common enteric pathogens from stool samples submitted to an academic medical center laboratory pre (2016–2019) and post the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020). Results In contrast to other enteric pathogens, norovirus positivity rates dropped dramatically from a yearly average of 3.9% in 2016–2019 to 0.76% from March 2020 through the end of 2020. Conclusion A sustained reduction in norovirus positivity rates was temporally associated with COVID-19 mitigation processes in the Philadelphia area, while positivity rates for other common enteric pathogens were only intermittently reduced.

show abstract

“… 22 Some reports have confirmed a decrease in norovirus cases during the COVID-19 pandemic. 23 24 Our results show that the number of outpatient visits for this disease has decreased compared with the last 3 years, but proportionally less so. This may be a result of the soldiers' lifestyle in that they live and eat in groups, which makes acute gastrointestinal infections more likely to spread.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 61%

Impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic on Medical Use of Military Hospitals in Korea

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began in December 2019. While it has not yet ended, COVID-19 has already created transitions in health care, one of which is a decrease in medical use for health-related issues other than COVID-19 infection. Korean soldiers are relatively homogeneous in terms of age and physical condition. They show a similar disease distribution pattern every year and are directly affected by changes in government attempts to control COVID-19 with nonpharmaceutical interventions. This study aimed to identify the changes in patterns of outpatient visits and admissions to military hospitals for a range of disease types during a pandemic. Methods Outpatient attendance and admission data from all military hospitals in South Korea from January 2016 to December 2020 were analyzed. Only active enlisted soldiers aged 18–32 years were included. Outpatient visits where there was a diagnosis of pneumonia, acute upper respiratory tract infection, infectious conjunctivitis, infectious enteritis, asthma, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, atopic dermatitis, urticaria, and fractures were analyzed. Admissions for pneumonia, acute enteritis, and fractures were also analyzed. All outpatient visits and admissions in 2020 for each disease were counted on a weekly basis and compared with the average number of visits over the same period of each year from 2016 to 2019. The corrected value was calculated by dividing the ratio of total weekly number of outpatient visits or admissions to the corresponding medical department in 2020 to the average in 2016–2019. Results A total of 5,813,304 cases of outpatient care and 143,022 cases of admission were analyzed. For pneumonia, the observed and corrected numbers of outpatient visits and admissions in 2020 decreased significantly compared with the average of other years ( P < 0.001). The results were similar for outpatient visits for acute upper respiratory tract infection and infectious conjunctivitis ( P < 0.001), while the corrected number of outpatient visits for infectious enteritis showed a significant increase in 2020 ( P = 0.005). The corrected number of outpatient visits for asthma in 2020 did not differ from the average of the previous 4 years but the number of visits for the other allergic diseases increased significantly ( P < 0.001). For fractures, the observed and corrected numbers of outpatient visits and admissions in 2020 decreased significantly compared with the average of other years ( P < 0.001). Conclusion During the COVID-19 pandemic, outpatient visits to military hospitals for respiratory and conjunctival infections and fractures decreased, whereas visits for allergic diseases did not change or increased only slightly. Admissions for pneumonia decreased significantly in 2020, while t...

show abstract

Decrease in norovirus infections in Germany following COVID-19 containment measures

Cited by 48 publications

References 7 publications

The changing pattern of enteric pathogen infections in China during the COVID-19 pandemic: a nation-wide observational study

The changing pattern of enteric pathogen infections in China during the COVID-19 pandemic: a nation-wide observational study

Reduction in Sporadic Norovirus Infections Following the Start of the COVID-19 Pandemic, 2019–2020, Philadelphia

Impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic on Medical Use of Military Hospitals in Korea

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About