Severe acute respiratory infections during the influenza A(H1N1)2009 pandemic in Belgium: first experience of hospital-based flu surveillance

AbstractThe expansion and standardization of clinical trials, as well as the use of sensitive and specific molecular diagnostics methods, provide new information on the age-specific roles of influenza and other respiratory viruses in development of severe acute respiratory infections (SARI). Here, we present the results of the multicenter hospital-based study aimed to detect age-specific impact of influenza and other respiratory viruses (ORV). The 2018–2019 influenza season in Russia was characterized by co-circulation of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2) virus subtypes which were detected among hospitalized patients with SARI in 19.3% and 16.4%, respectively. RSV dominated among ORV (15.1% of total cases and 26.8% in infants aged ≤ 2 years). The most significant SARI agents in intensive care units were RSV and influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus, (37.3% and 25.4%, respectively, of PCR-positive cases). Hyperthermia was the most frequently registered symptom for influenza cases. In contrast, hypoxia, decreased blood O2 concentration, and dyspnea were registered more often in RSV, rhinovirus, and metapneumovirus infection in young children. Influenza vaccine effectiveness (IVE) against hospitalization of patients with PCR-confirmed influenza was evaluated using test-negative case–control design. IVE for children and adults was estimated to be 57.0% and 62.0%, respectively. Subtype specific IVE was higher against influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, compared to influenza A(H3N2) (60.3% and 45.8%, respectively). This correlates with delayed antigenic drift of the influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus and genetic heterogeneity of the influenza A(H3N2) population. These studies demonstrate the need to improve seasonal influenza prevention and control in all countries as states by the WHO Global Influenza Strategy for 2019–2030 initiative.

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Prevalence and Genetic Characteristics of Human Bocaviruses Detected in Patients with Acute Respiratory Infections in Bulgaria

International Journal of Microbiology ◽

10.1155/2021/7035081 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Neli Korsun ◽

Svetla Angelova ◽

Ivelina Trifonova ◽

Silvia Voleva ◽

Iliana Grigorova ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Amino Acid ◽

Influenza A ◽

Respiratory Infections ◽

Single Agent ◽

Respiratory Viruses ◽

Acute Respiratory Infections ◽

Vp2 Gene ◽

Genetic Characteristics ◽

Influenza A H1n1 ◽

Syncytial Virus

Нuman bocaviruses (hBoVs) are often associated with acute respiratory infections (ARIs). Information on the distribution and molecular epidemiology of hBoVs in Bulgaria is currently limited. The objectives of this study were to investigate the prevalence and genetic characteristics of hBoVs detected in patients with ARIs in Bulgaria. From October 2016 to September 2019, nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal swabs were prospectively collected from 1842 patients of all ages and tested for 12 common respiratory viruses using a real-time RT-PCR. Phylogenetic and amino acid analyses of the hBoV VP1/VP2 gene/protein were performed. HBoV was identified in 98 (5.3%) patients and was the 6th most prevalent virus after respiratory-syncytial virus (20.4%), influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 (11.1%), A(H3N2) (10.5%), rhinoviruses (9.9%), and adenoviruses (6.8%). Coinfections with other respiratory viruses were detected in 51% of the hBoV-positive patients. Significant differences in the prevalence of hBoVs were found during the different study periods and in patients of different age groups. The detection rate of hBoV was the highest in patients aged 0–4 years (6.9%). In this age group, hBoV was the only identified virus in 9.7%, 5.8%, and 1.1% of the children diagnosed with laryngotracheitis, bronchiolitis, and pneumonia, respectively. Among patients aged ≥5 years, hBoV was detected as a single agent in 2.2% of cases of pneumonia. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all Bulgarian hBoV strains belonged to the hBoV1 genotype. A few amino acid substitutions were identified compared to the St1 prototype strain. This first study amongst an all-age population in Bulgaria showed a significant rate of hBoV detection in some serious respiratory illnesses in early childhood, year-to-year changes in the hBoV prevalence, and low genetic variability in the circulating strains.

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Flu and other Acute Respiratory Infections in the Working Population. The Impact of Influenza A (H1N1) Epidemic

Archivos de Bronconeumología (English Edition) ◽

10.1016/s1579-2129(10)70138-5 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 46 (12) ◽

pp. 634-639

Author(s):

Constanza Albertí ◽

Ramon Orriols ◽

Rafael Manzanera ◽

Josefina Jardí

Keyword(s):

Influenza A ◽

Respiratory Infections ◽

Acute Respiratory Infections ◽

Working Population ◽

Influenza A H1n1 ◽

The Impact

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Surveillance for Severe Acute Respiratory Infections among Hospitalized Subjects from 2015/2016 to 2019/2020 Seasons in Tuscany, Italy

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18083875 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (8) ◽

pp. 3875

Author(s):

Ilaria Manini ◽

Andrea Camarri ◽

Serena Marchi ◽

Claudia Maria Trombetta ◽

Ilaria Vicenti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Influenza A ◽

Respiratory Infections ◽

Influenza Season ◽

Central Italy ◽

University Hospital ◽

Acute Respiratory Infections ◽

Severe Acute Respiratory Infections ◽

Seasonal Epidemics ◽

Polymerase Chain ◽

Virological Surveillance

In Italy, the influenza season lasts from October until April of the following year. Influenza A and B viruses are the two viral types that cocirculate during seasonal epidemics and are the main causes of respiratory infections. We analyzed influenza A and B viruses in samples from hospitalized patients at Le Scotte University Hospital in Siena (Central Italy). From 2015 to 2020, 182 patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Infections were enrolled. Oropharyngeal swabs were collected from patients and tested by means of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction to identify influenza A(H3N2), A(H1N1)pdm09 and B. Epidemiological and virological surveillance remain an essential tool for monitoring circulating viruses and possible mismatches with seasonal vaccine strains, and provide information that can be used to improve the composition of influenza vaccines.

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Etiology of severe acute respiratory infections in Ekaterinburg in different epidemic seasons

Medical academic journal ◽

10.17816/maj77286 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (3) ◽

pp. 123-126

Author(s):

Evgeniya Viktorovna Lelenkova ◽

Alexandr Yurievich Markaryan

Keyword(s):

Influenza A ◽

Viral Infections ◽

Respiratory Infections ◽

Respiratory Viruses ◽

Influenza Viruses ◽

Hospital Treatment ◽

Acute Respiratory Infections ◽

Severe Acute Respiratory Infection ◽

Hospital Patients ◽

Severe Acute Respiratory Infections

BACKGROUND: Acute respiratory viral infections are ubiquitous. Part of the cases are severe and require hospital treatment. AIM: Studying the etiology of severe acute respiratory infections in patients of Ekaterinburg hospitals in different epidemic seasons (from 2017 to 2020). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 1,132 cases of severe acute respiratory infection were assessed. The structure of laboratory-confirmed cases was determined. RESULTS: In the assessed seasons, the proportion of respiratory viruses in the etiological structure of severe acute respiratory infections was 56.0% on average. B/Yamagata lineage of influenza viruses was predominant in the season of 2017/2018 (23.9% from the total number of respiratory viruses), influenza А (H1N1)pdm09 viruses were predominant in the season of 2018/2019 (27.7%), and influenza A and B viruses were identified in 2019/2020 (39.4% and 31.7%, respectively). СONCLUSIONS: The obtained results confirm a key role of influenza viruses in the etiology of severe acute respiratory infections among the hospital patients in different epidemic seasons.

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Mesenchymal Stem Cells: The Secret Children’s Weapons against the SARS-CoV-2 Lethal Infection

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11041696 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 1696

Author(s):

Mario Giosuè Balzanelli ◽

Pietro Distratis ◽

Orazio Catucci ◽

Angelo Cefalo ◽

Rita Lazzaro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Mesenchymal Stem Cells ◽

Respiratory Infections ◽

Acute Respiratory Infections ◽

Unusual Event ◽

Inflammatory Processes ◽

Life Threatening ◽

Severe Acute Respiratory Infections ◽

Novel Coronavirus

Due to the promising effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the treatment of various diseases, this commentary aimed to focus on the auxiliary role of MSCs to reduce inflammatory processes of acute respiratory infections caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Since early in 2020, COVID-19, a consequence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has rapidly affected millions of people world-wide. The SARS-CoV-2 infection in children appears to be an unusual event. Despite the high number of affected adult and elderly, children and adolescents remained low in amounts, and marginally touched. Based on the promising role of cell therapy and regenerative medicine approaches in the treatment of several life-threatening diseases, it seems that applying MSCs cell-based approaches can also be a hopeful strategy for improving subjects with severe acute respiratory infections caused by COVID-19.

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Bocavirus in Patients With Severe Acute Respiratory Infections: Is it a Real Pathogen?

Open Forum Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/ofid/ofv133.408 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Jorge Cortes ◽

Liliana Diaz ◽

Sandra Gomez ◽

Alejandra Guarnizo ◽

Tatiana Olarte ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Respiratory Infections ◽

Acute Respiratory Infections ◽

Severe Acute Respiratory Infections

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Surveillance of influenza A H1N1 2009 among school children during 2009 and 2010 in São Paulo, Brazil

Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical ◽

10.1590/s0037-86822012000500005 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 45 (5) ◽

pp. 563-566 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Sandra Baltazar Guatura ◽

Aripuana Sakurada Aranha Watanabe ◽

Clarice Neves Camargo ◽

Ana Maria Passos ◽

Sheila Negrini Parmezan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

School Children ◽

Influenza A ◽

Respiratory Infections ◽

Vaccination Campaign ◽

Sao Paulo ◽

Morbidity Rate ◽

High Morbidity ◽

São Paulo ◽

High Morbidity Rate ◽

Influenza A H1n1

INTRODUCTION: Influenza A H1N1 2009 is associated with a high morbidity rate among children around the world, including Brazil. This survey was conducted on samples of symptomatic children (< 12 years) to investigate the influenza virus as the etiological agent of respiratory infections in a day care school in a health facility during the first and second pandemic wave of H1N1 (2009-2010) in São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: Influenza infections were determined by real-time PCR in 34% (47/137) of children with a median age of 5 years (8 months - 12 years), from June to October 2009 and in 16% (14/85) of those with median age of 6 years (1-12 years), from March to November 2010. RESULTS: In general, most positive cases (64%) occurred in children aged 5-12 years, this age group was significantly the most affected (39.8%, p = 0.001, OR = 8.3, CI 95% 1.9-36.9). Wheezing was reported by 31% (19/61) and dyspnea by 23% (14/61) of the studied patients. An outbreak of influenza H1N1 with an attack rate of 35.7% among children (median age 6 years) was documented in April 2010, before the vaccination campaign against the pandemic virus was extended for children up to 5 years in Brazil. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, the study reinforces the recommendation to immunize school children to reduce the incidence of the disease.

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