The surge of RSV and other respiratory viruses among children during the second COVID-19 pandemic winter season.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The non-pharmaceutical measures in the first Covid-19 winter season significantly impacted respiratory pathogens such as RSV, influenza, or metapneumovirus, which cause respiratory infections, especially in infants and young children. This longitudinal prospective study aimed to determine how less strict measures affect the pathogen profile in the second winter season.

Methods

From September 2021 till the end of March 2022, 678 children (0-36 months) admitted to Vienna's largest pediatric center with an acute respiratory infection were enrolled in this study. The researchers performed nasal swabs and tested them by multiplex PCR for 23 respiratory pathogens, chronicled clinical features and treatment, and analyzed the effect of lockdown on the pathogen prevalence.

SUBMITTER: Riepl A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9929140 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature