Concurrent influenza virus infection and tuberculosis in patients hospitalized with respiratory illness in Thailand

Background: Influenza A (pandemic and seasonal H1/H3) and influenza B viruses were the predominant circulating seasonal influenza strains. Following its massive outbreak in 2009 globally, including Thailand, influenza A (H1N1) pdm09 viruses have replaced the previous seasonal H1 strain and become one of the circulating strains ever since. Both influenza A and B viruses are highly contagious and potentially cause respiratory illness ranging from mild to severe. Objective: To determine the prevalence of types and subtypes of circulating influenza virus strains in Bangkok, Thailand during 2013 - 2017. Methods: The 4385 nasopharyngeal wash specimens were collected from patients presented with influenza-like illness from January 2013 to December 2017 at Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand. Influenza virus types and subtypes were determined using real-time RT-PCR technique. Clinical characteristics of patients infected with influenza A viruses and influenza B virus were compared and analyzed. Results: Of 4385 nasopharyngeal wash specimens, the prevalence of influenza virus infection during 2013 - 2017 was 18.22% (n = 799). Of 799 influenza-positive samples, 608 (76.09%) and 191 (23.90%) samples were positive for influenza A and influenza B viruses, respectively. Most patients were presented with fever, cough, and runny nose; however, patients infected with influenza A virus generally had higher severity than those with influenza B virus infection (P < .05). Conclusions: The findings provided the characteristics of influenza virus types and subtypes at Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand during 2013 - 2017. Sporadic cases of influenza occurred all year round, but the incidence peaked in March 2014 and August 2017. The outcomes of this study are potentially useful for prevention, treatment, and disease monitoring.

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The Power of First Impressions: Can Influenza Imprinting during Infancy Inform Vaccine Design?

10.20944/preprints202008.0366.v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Melissa Rioux ◽

Mara McNeil ◽

Magen Francis ◽

Nicholas Dawe ◽

Mary Foley ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Influenza Virus ◽

Immune System ◽

Animal Models ◽

Virus Infection ◽

Respiratory Tract ◽

Age Groups ◽

Influenza Virus Infection ◽

Vaccine Design ◽

Respiratory Illness ◽

Older Children

Influenza virus infection causes severe respiratory illness in people worldwide, disproportionately affecting infants. The immature respiratory tract coupled with the developing immune system is thought to synergistically play a role in the increased disease severity in younger age groups. Although vaccines remain the best solution for protecting this vulnerable population, no vaccines are available for those under 6 months, and for infants aged 6 months to 2 years, the vaccine elicits a dampened immune response. Dampened immune responses may be due to unique features of the infant immune system and a lack of pre-existing immunity. Unlike older children and adults, the infant immune system is Th2 skewed and has less antigen presenting cells and soluble immune factors. Paradoxically, we know that a person’s first infection with the influenza virus during infancy or childhood leads to the establishment of life-long immunity toward that particular virus strain. This is called influenza imprinting. To provide better protection against influenza virus infection and disease in infants, more research must be conducted to understand the imprinting event. We contend that by understanding influenza imprinting in the context of the infant immune system and the infant’s immature respiratory tract, we will be able to design more effective influenza vaccines for both infants and adults. Working through the lens of imprinting, using infant influenza animal models such as mice and ferrets, which have proven useful for infant immunity studies, we will gain a better understanding of imprinting and its implications regarding vaccine design. This review examines literature regarding infant immune development, current vaccine strategies, respiratory development, and the importance of researching the imprinting event in infant animal models to develop more effective and protective vaccines for young children.

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Coe (Coxsackie A21) virus, para-influenza virus and other respiratory virus infections in the R.A.F., 1958–60

Journal of Hygiene ◽

10.1017/s0022172400039498 ◽

1962 ◽

Vol 60 (2) ◽

pp. 235-248 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

J. C. McDonald ◽

D. L. Miller ◽

A. J. Zuckerman ◽

Marguerite S. Pereira ◽

Ann Deacon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Influenza Virus ◽

Virus Infection ◽

Respiratory Virus ◽

Influenza Virus Infection ◽

Admission Rate ◽

Respiratory Illness ◽

Influenza Viruses ◽

Influenza B ◽

Virus Infections ◽

Influenza Type

1. In two R.A.F. recruit stations between November 1958 and March 1959, there were 2603 admissions to Sick Quarters with respiratory illness. Throat swabs from 1129, and paired sera from 1197 were tested for certain respiratory viruses.2. From the serological results it was estimated that 19% of the admissions were associated with influenza A infection, 7% with influenza B, 26% with adenovirus, 1% with para-influenza Type 1, 1% with para-influenza Type 3 and 8% with Coe virus, but as 21% of the identified infections were multiple the proportion of illness associated with one or more of these infections was only 50%. Thirty-four per cent of the Coe virus infections and 56% of the para-influenza virus infections were multiple.3. Virus isolation test results led to a similar estimate of the frequency of adenovirus infection (23%) but to a lower estimate for Coe virus (3%) and for the para-influenza viruses, no systematic attempt was made to isolate influenza viruses. Reasons are given for thinking that most of the admissions associated with Coe virus infection in 1958, but few of those in 1959, were caused by this agent. The proportion of illnesses attributable to viruses of the para-influenza group was probably about 1%.4. The main symptoms associated with Coe virus infection were upper respiratory. Hoarseness was rather more prominent than in other infections but the height and duration of fever and the frequency of febrile symptoms were less. The few illnesses associated with para-influenza virus infection had no obvious distinguishing features.1960 survey1. Blood specimens were taken from 205 recruits on their arrival at a recruit camp in January 1960 and immediately before their departure in March; 764 men in ten operational stations were bled in January and a sample of 260 were bled again in March.2. The respiratory illness admission rate was 25% in the recruits and 4% in the trained men; 49% of the recruits showed a rise in antibody to one or more respiratory virus antigens compared with 2% in the other group. The high rate of infection in recruits was mainly due to adenovirus (36%) and Coe virus (20%).3. It was estimated that about a third of the adenovirus infections and an eighth of the Coe virus infections were responsible for illness requiring admission. There was no indication that either infection caused any appreciable number of less severe illnesses not requiring admission.4. Evidence from this survey and the earlier one suggests that the presence of neutralizing antibody to Coe virus does not prevent infection, though it appears to lower the probability of illness.

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