Epidemiology of Human Seasonal Coronaviruses Among People With Mild and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness in Blantyre, Malawi, 2011-2017.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The aim of this study was to characterize the epidemiology of human seasonal coronaviruses (HCoVs) in southern Malawi.

Methods

We tested for HCoVs 229E, OC43, NL63, and HKU1 using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on upper respiratory specimens from asymptomatic controls and individuals of all ages recruited through severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) surveillance at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, and a prospective influenza-like illness (ILI) observational study between 2011 and 2017. We modeled the probability of having a positive PCR for each HCoV using negative binomial models, and calculated pathogen-attributable fractions (PAFs).

Results

Overall, 8.8% (539/6107) of specimens were positive for ≥1 HCoV. OC43 was the most frequen

SUBMITTER: Kovacs D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11322416 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature