Respiratory viruses in rural Zambia during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Limited data on respiratory infections are available from sub-Saharan Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of this study was to evaluate the burden of respiratory viruses in rural Zambia from 2019-2021.

Methods

Surveillance was initiated at Macha Hospital in Zambia in December 2018. Each week, patients with respiratory symptoms were enrolled from the outpatient clinic. Nasopharyngeal samples were collected and tested for respiratory pathogens. The prevalence of respiratory symptoms and viruses in 2021 was compared to results from 2019 and 2020.

Results

After seeing few cases of influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus in 2020, a return to prepandemic levels was observed in 2021. Rhinovirus/enterovirus, parainfluenza virus 1-4, and adeno

SUBMITTER: Sutcliffe CG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10391682 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature