Spring is coming, where are the Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Influenza viruses?

2021 ◽  
pp. 104824
Author(s):  
Eric Farfour ◽  
Tiffany Pascreau ◽  
Emilie Jolly ◽  
Sara Zia-Chahabi ◽  
Laurence Mazaux ◽  
...  
Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 234
Author(s):  
Sarah Al-Beltagi ◽  
Cristian Alexandru Preda ◽  
Leah V. Goulding ◽  
Joe James ◽  
Juan Pu ◽  
...  

The long-term control strategy of SARS-CoV-2 and other major respiratory viruses needs to include antivirals to treat acute infections, in addition to the judicious use of effective vaccines. Whilst COVID-19 vaccines are being rolled out for mass vaccination, the modest number of antivirals in use or development for any disease bears testament to the challenges of antiviral development. We recently showed that non-cytotoxic levels of thapsigargin (TG), an inhibitor of the sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ ATPase pump, induces a potent host innate immune antiviral response that blocks influenza A virus replication. Here we show that TG is also highly effective in blocking the replication of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), common cold coronavirus OC43, SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A virus in immortalized or primary human cells. TG’s antiviral performance was significantly better than remdesivir and ribavirin in their respective inhibition of OC43 and RSV. Notably, TG was just as inhibitory to coronaviruses (OC43 and SARS-CoV-2) and influenza viruses (USSR H1N1 and pdm 2009 H1N1) in separate infections as in co-infections. Post-infection oral gavage of acid-stable TG protected mice against a lethal influenza virus challenge. Together with its ability to inhibit the different viruses before or during active infection, and with an antiviral duration of at least 48 h post-TG exposure, we propose that TG (or its derivatives) is a promising broad-spectrum inhibitor against SARS-CoV-2, OC43, RSV and influenza virus.


Author(s):  
Maria Antonia De Francesco ◽  
Caterina Pollara ◽  
Franco Gargiulo ◽  
Mauro Giacomelli ◽  
Arnaldo Caruso

Different preventive public health measures were adopted globally to limit the spread of SARS-CoV-2, such as hand hygiene and the use of masks, travel restrictions, social distance actions such as the closure of schools and workplaces, case and contact tracing, quarantine and lockdown. These measures, in particular physical distancing and the use of masks, might have contributed to containing the spread of other respiratory viruses that occurs principally by contact and droplet routes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of different respiratory viruses (influenza viruses A and B, respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza viruses 1, 2, 3 and 4, rhinovirus, adenovirus, metapneumovirus and human coronaviruses) after one year of the pandemic. Furthermore, another aim was to evaluate the possible impact of these non-pharmaceutical measures on the circulation of seasonal respiratory viruses. This single center study was conducted between January 2017–February 2020 (pre-pandemic period) and March 2020–May 2021 (pandemic period). All adults >18 years with respiratory symptoms and tested for respiratory pathogens were included in the study. Nucleic acid detection of all respiratory viruses was performed by multiplex real time PCR. Our results show that the test positivity for influenza A and B, metapneumovirus, parainfluenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus and human coronaviruses decreased with statistical significance during the pandemic. Contrary to this, for adenovirus the decrease was not statistically significant. Conversely, a statistically significant increase was detected for rhinovirus. Coinfections between different respiratory viruses were observed during the pre-pandemic period, while the only coinfection detected during pandemic was between SARS-CoV-2 and rhinovirus. To understand how the preventive strategies against SARS-CoV-2 might alter the transmission dynamics and epidemic patterns of respiratory viruses is fundamental to guide future preventive recommendations.


1974 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. G. Higgins

SUMMARYDuring the period 1961–71 of 1785 viruses isolated from patients in the general population 503 (28%) were rhinoviruses, 465 (26%) influenza viruses, 248 (14%) enteroviruses, 234 (13%) herpes simplex virus, 132 (7%) parainfluenza viruses, 129 (7%) adenoviruses and 49 (3%) respiratory syncytial virus. Also isolated were 18 strains of mumps virus, 7 coronaviruses and 295 streptococci of groups A, C or G.Fluctuations were observed in the frequency with which respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza virus type 2, and the adenoviruses were isolated over the 10-year period.Influenza viruses types A and B, parainfluenza viruses types 1 and 2, respiratory syncytial virus, adenoviruses types 3, 4, 6, 7 and 21, and many enteroviruses were all associated with outbreaks.Infections with influenza viruses A and B and parainfluenza viruses types 1 and 2 came during the winter, whereas those with parainfluenza virus type 3, enteroviruses, and rhinoviruses were more frequently seen in the summer and early autumn.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaron Drori ◽  
Jasmine Jacob-Hirsch ◽  
Rakefet Pando ◽  
Aharona Glatman-Freedman ◽  
Nehemya Friedman ◽  
...  

AbstractInfluenza viruses and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are respiratory viruses that primarily circulate worldwide during the autumn and winter seasons. Seasonal surveillance shows that RSV infection generally precedes influenza. However, in the last four winter seasons (2016-2020) an overlap of the morbidity peaks of both viruses was observed in Israel, and was paralleled by significantly lower RSV infection rates. To investigate whether the influenza virus inhibits RSV we performed coinfection of Human cervical carcinoma (HEp2) cells or mice with influenza and RSV and we observed that the influenza inhibited RSV growth, both in vitro and in vivo. Mass spectrometry analysis of mouse lungs infected with influenza identified a two-wave pattern of protein expression upregulation, which included members of the interferon-induced protein with tetratricopeptide (IFITs) family. Interestingly, in the second peak of upregulation, influenza viruses were no longer detectable in mouse lungs. We also observed that knockdown and overexpression of IFITs in HEp2 cells affected RSV multiplicity. In conclusion, influenza infection inhibits RSV infectivity via upregulation of IFIT proteins in a two-wave modality. Understanding of the interaction between influenza and RSV viruses and immune system involvement will contribute to the development and optimization of future treatment strategies against these viruses.Author SummaryRespiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza viruses are both respiratory viruses associated with morbidity and mortality worldwide. RSV is usually detected in October, with a clear peak in December, whereas influenza virus arrives in November and peaks in January. In the last four seasons, influenza infection overlapped with that of RSV in Israel, which resulted in decreased morbidity of RSV suggesting that influenza virus inhibits RSV infection. To identify the mechanism responsible for the influenza inhibition of RSV we performed experiments in culture and in mice. We observed that influenza infection results in two wave modality of inhibition of RSV infection. Using mass spectrometry perfornmed on lungs from infected mice we show that influenza infection induces the expression of (IFIT) family of proteins which also showed a two-wave modality. Using knockdown and overexpression experiments we showed that indeed the IFTIs inhibits RSV infection. Our study provides new insights on the interaction between influenza and RSV viruses and immune system involvement and contribute to the development of future treatment strategies against these viruses.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (10) ◽  
pp. 1184-1189
Author(s):  
Marc Bourgeois ◽  
Nathalie Ausselet ◽  
Veronique Gerard ◽  
Louis de Canniere ◽  
Nathan Scius ◽  
...  

AbstractObjective:To assess the prevalence of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in adults hospitalized for a respiratory infection in the winter months and to evaluate the impact of a viral diagnosis on empirical antimicrobial management (antibiotics and antivirals).Design:Observational cohort study.Setting:Acute-care university hospital.Patients:The study included 963 adult patients hospitalized over a 4-year surveillance period.Methods:Annual surveillance timelines were defined according to epidemiological criteria related to the circulation of RSV and influenza viruses in the general population. Patients were screened following a severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) case definition at the emergency department and were enrolled for molecular assay targeting influenza/RSV viruses after oral informed consent. Epidemiological and clinical data were recorded prospectively, microbiological investigations, antimicrobial management, and outcome data were reviewed retrospectively.Results:An influenza or RSV virus was documented in 316 of 963 patients (33%). Optimization of antimicrobial management (AM) was achieved in 162 of 265 patients (61%) with a positive viral diagnosis and no bacterial infection at admission (AM treatment not initiated, n = 111; discontinued, n = 51). In contrast, only 128 of 462 patients (28%) with negative microbiological investigations did not have AM treatment initiated (n = 116) or had such treatment discontinued (n = 12). Early, targeted antiviral treatment was prescribed in 235 of 253 patients (93%) confirmed with influenza. Epidemiological, clinical, and outcome data were similar in both groups.Conclusion:Epidemiological surveillance associated with influenza/RSV molecular diagnosis in adults hospitalized for severe winter respiratory infections dramatically enhanced antimicrobial management.


2021 ◽  
pp. 111-120
Author(s):  
A. A. Girina ◽  
A. L. Zaplatnikov ◽  
E. I. Burtseva ◽  
V. I. Svintsitskaya ◽  
I. D. Maykova ◽  
...  

The article notes features of the last epidemic season (2020-2021) in the form of extremely low activity of influenza viruses with SARS-CoV-2 remaining dominant in the etiological structure of acute respiratory viral infections. Presented own data indicating the heterogeneity of SARS-CoV-2 (Alpha, Delta, B.1.1.317, B.1.1.397, B.1.1.523) isolated from hospitalized patients was noted. An increase in the etiological role of bocavirus, alpha-coronavirus and metapneumovirus with a decrease in the frequency of parainfluenza viruses, adenoviruses, rhinoviruses and respiratory syncytial virus was established. An unusual shift of the period of maximum activity of respiratory syncytial virus to the 20th week was noted. Attention is paid to the need during the ongoing pandemic COVID-19 to fully immunize children as part of the National Immunization Calendar, also emphasized the role of mandatory annual vaccination against influenza. It is noted that the maximum protective effect of immunoprophylaxis of influenza acute and recurrent respiratory infections can be achieved with a combination of vaccination with bacterial lysates. The article presents a review of the literature and our data demonstrating the safety, good tolerability, and high clinical and immunological efficiency of polyvalent mechanical bacterial lysate for the prevention of acute and recurrent respiratory infections in children. It is shown that the use of polyvalent mechanical bacterial lysate during the prevaccination period makes it possible to substantially reduce the frequency of intercurrent infections, which reduces the number of temporary medical withdrawals and increases the coverage of vaccinations against influenza in organized groups to 85.1%. The role of trained immunity as one of the possible mechanisms providing nonspecific immunoprophylaxis during influenza vaccination and the use of bacterial lysates is discussed.


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