Impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic on the Clinical Features of Pediatric Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Japan.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Mitigation measures implemented during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic remarkably reduced the incidence of infectious diseases among children. However, a re-emergence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection was observed in 2021 in Japan. We compared the clinical characteristics of hospitalized patients with RSV infection before and during COVID-19.

Methods

We retrospectively enrolled children aged <6 years who were hospitalized with RSV infection in 18 hospitals and compared their clinical characteristics before (January 2019 to April 2020, 1675 patients) and during COVID-19 (September 2020 to December 2021, 1297 patients).

Results

The mean age of patients with RSV infection was significantly higher during COVID-19 than before (17.4

SUBMITTER: Ozeki S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9620303 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature