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ABSTRACT: Objectives
Annual outbreaks of human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) are caused by newly introduced and locally persistent strains. During the COVID-19 pandemic, global and local circulation of HRSV significantly decreased. This study was conducted to characterize HRSV in 2018-2022 and to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on the evolution of HRSV.Design/methods
Combined oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from children hospitalized with severe acute respiratory infection at two hospitals in Zambia. The second hypervariable region of the attachment gene G was targeted for phylogenetic analysis.Results
Of 3113 specimens, 504 (16.2%) were positive for HRSV, of which 131 (26.0%) and 66 (13.1%) were identified as HRSVA and HRSVB, respectively. In early 2021, an increase in HRSV was detected, caused by multiple distinct clades of HRSVA and HRSVB. Some were newly introduced, whereas others resulted from local persistence.Conclusions
This study provides insights into the evolution of HRSV, driven by global and local circulation. The COVID-19 pandemic had a temporal impact on the evolution pattern of HRSV. Understanding the evolution of HRSV is vital for developing strategies for its control.
SUBMITTER: Simusika P
PROVIDER: S-EPMC11002793 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jun
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Simusika Paul P Okamoto Michiko M Dapat Clyde C Muleya Walter W Malisheni Moffat M Azam Sikandar S Imamura Takeaki T Saito Mayuko M Mwape Innocent I Mpabalwani Evans E Monze Mwaka M Oshitani Hitoshi H
IJID regions 20240321
<h4>Objectives</h4>Annual outbreaks of human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) are caused by newly introduced and locally persistent strains. During the COVID-19 pandemic, global and local circulation of HRSV significantly decreased. This study was conducted to characterize HRSV in 2018-2022 and to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on the evolution of HRSV.<h4>Design/methods</h4>Combined oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from children hospitalized with severe acute respiratory ...[more]