Epidemiology of respiratory tract infections using multiplex PCR in a Japanese acute care hospital during the COVID19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

We aimed to investigate the epidemiology of respiratory infections by season and age during the COVID-19 pandemic in a Japanese acute care hospital using multiplex PCR testing.

Methods

We detected 21 pathogens in specimens from outpatients with respiratory symptoms at the Nara Prefecture General Medical Center using the multiplex PCR-based FilmArray Respiratory Panel 2.1 (bioMérieux).

Results

Of the 3177 cases, 1215 (38.2%) were infected with at least one causative virus, and 1641 viruses were detected. The most common viruses detected were human rhinovirus/enterovirus (n = 655) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (n = 264). Additionally, 321 (10.1%) of these cases were infected with two or more overlapping viruses. There were

SUBMITTER: Kitagawa D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10007720 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature