Time trend of respiratory viruses before and during the COVID‐19 pandemic in severe acute respiratory virus infection in the Sultanate of Oman between 2017 and 2022

Abstract

IntroductionSevere acute respiratory illness (SARI) is a potentially lethal condition, necessitating thorough medical care. COVID‐19 underscored the SARI threat, but other high‐risk pathogens require monitoring alongside SARS‐CoV‐2. Oman instituted a comprehensive testing system to gauge the prevalence of these pathogens between 2017 and 2021, aiding resource allocation and public health responses to potential respiratory pathogen outbreaks.MethodsSamples from SARI cases admitted to ICU were tested for pathogens using the Fast‐Track Diagnostic (FTD) molecular assay, a respiratory virus panel (RVP) that tests for 21 pathogens, including 20 viruses, by qPCR.ResultsBetween 2017 and 2022, ~30 000 samples were analysed using the RVP panel. Among SARI patients, 8%–42% tested positive for respiratory pathogens, with 4% showing multiple infectious agents, especially in children under 10. A drop in positivity during 2020–2021 can be attributed to SARS‐CoV‐2 control measures, followed by a rebound in infections in early 2022.DiscussionThe COVID‐19 pandemic heightened awareness of respiratory pathogens' spread without adequate control measures. Influenza A/B, human rhinoviruses and respiratory syncytial virus constituted over 50% of severe acute respiratory illness cases in Oman over the past 5 years. During the pandemic, the incidence of these infections significantly declined, demonstrating the efficacy of COVID‐19 prevention measures in reducing spread of other pathogens.