Absences, Symptoms and Respiratory Viruses in a Swiss School: Longitudinal Study With Serial Saliva Sampling.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Viral respiratory infections contribute to sick days in school children. We monitored respiratory infections, absences, and symptoms in a Swiss school.

Methods

Serial saliva sampling (three per week) and daily recording of absences and symptoms over 6 weeks during the winter of 2023/24 in four Swiss school classes (age 14-15).

Results

We analyzed 1047 samples of 67/84 (80%) participants, identifying 87 infection episodes across eight viruses: 28 (32%) human rhinovirus, 18 (21%) influenza A/B, 11 (13%) respiratory syncytial virus, 14 (16%) human coronaviruses, 6 (7%) parainfluenza virus, and 5 (6%) influenza B; SARS-CoV-2 was not detected. Spatiotemporal trends revealed seasonal epidemic trends and evidence of transmission within classes. Viral loads (interq

SUBMITTER: Banholzer N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12477406 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature