scholarly journals Differentiating Impacts of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions on Non-Coronavirus-Disease-2019 Respiratory Viral Infections: Hospital-Based Retrospective Observational Study in Taiwan

Author(s):  
Po-Liang Chen ◽  
Isaac Yen-Hao Chu ◽  
Mei-Lin Yeh ◽  
Yin-Yin Chen ◽  
Chia-Lin Lee ◽  
...  

Background Physical distancing and facemask use are worldwide recognized as effective non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Since January 2020, Taiwan has introduced both NPIs but their effectiveness on non-COVID-19 respiratory viruses (NCRVs) remain underexplored. Methods This retrospective observational study examined electronic records at a tertiary hospital in northern Taiwan from pre-COVID (January–December 2019) to post-COVID period (January–May 2020). Patients with respiratory syndromes were tested for both enveloped (e.g. influenza virus and seasonal coronavirus) and non-enveloped RVs (e.g. enterovirus and rhinovirus) using multiplex reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction assays. Monthly positivity rates of NCRVs among adult and pediatric patients were analyzed with comparison between pre- and post-COVID periods. Results A total of 9693 patients underwent 12127 multiplex RT-PCR tests. The average positivity rate of NCRVs reduced by 11.2% (25.6% to 14.4%) after nationwide PHIs. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the most commonly identified enveloped and non-enveloped viruses were influenza virus and enterovirus/rhinovirus, respectively. Observed reduction in NCRV incidence was predominantly contributed by enveloped NCRVs including influenza viruses. We did not observe epidemiological impacts of NPIs on non-enveloped viruses but an increasing trend in enterovirus/rhinovirus test positivity rate among pediatric patients. Our data were validated using Taiwan’s national notification database. Conclusions Our frontline investigation suggests that the current NPIs in Taiwan might not effectively control the transmission of non-enveloped respiratory viruses, despite their protective effects against influenza and seasonal coronavirus. Hydrogen peroxide or chloride-based disinfectants should be integrated into national preventative strategies against respiratory viral infections in the post-COVID-19 era.

2008 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 274-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Garrett Nichols ◽  
Angela J. Peck Campbell ◽  
Michael Boeckh

SUMMARY Though several antivirals have been developed and marketed to treat influenza virus infections, the development of antiviral agents with clinical activity against other respiratory viruses has been more problematic. Here we review the epidemiology of respiratory viral infections in immunocompetent and immunocompromised hosts, examine the evidence surrounding the currently available antivirals for respiratory viral infections other than influenza, highlight those that are in the pipeline, and discuss the hurdles for development of such agents.


Author(s):  
Zachary M Most ◽  
Michael Holcomb ◽  
Andrew R Jamieson ◽  
Trish M Perl

Abstract Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) have “flattened the curve” of the COVID-19 pandemic, however the effect of these interventions on other respiratory viruses is unknown. We used aggregate level case count data for eight respiratory viruses and compared the institutional and statewide case counts before and during the period that NPIs were active. We observed a 61% (IRR 0.39, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.41, P < 0.0001) decrease in non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viral infections when NPIs were implemented. This finding, if further verified, should guide future public health initiatives to mitigate viral epidemics.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Farhad Babaei ◽  
Hamid Reza Mortazavi ◽  
Nasim Kondori ◽  
Bahareh Cheshmenooshi ◽  
Mohsen Moghoofei

Background: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of lung airways, affecting about 300 million people worldwide. Several risk factors are involved in asthma development, such as environmental allergens, genetic susceptibility, and respiratory viral infections. Viral infections induce NF-kB and inflammatory pathways that lead to the production of cytokines, chemokines, and inflammatory proteins and, finally, a reduction of lung volume and function. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate viral infections’ prevalence in children with asthma from 2016 to 2017. Methods: One hundred throat swab samples were collected from asthmatic children. Extraction of RNA and cDNA synthesis were performed to recognize parainfluenza viruses, rhinoviruses, influenza viruses, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) using real-time PCR. Also, the associations of age, sex, and other studied factors with asthmatic attacks were evaluated. Results: In this study, 41 viruses were detected, including 21 cases of rhinoviruses (51.22%), 10 cases of parainfluenza (24.39%), seven cases of respiratory syncytial virus (17.07%), and three cases of the influenza virus (7.32%). Regarding seasonal incidence, the prevalence of the viruses was high in autumn and winter, and there was a significant relationship between seasonal incidence and gender. However, there were no statistically significant relationships between the prevalence of the viruses and age or gender. Conclusions: The most important viral causes of childhood asthma in this study were found to be rhinoviruses, followed by parainfluenza. The lowest prevalence was related to the RSV and influenza virus, which the two viruses also showed the lowest seasonal outbreaks. Therefore, it can be said that with an increase in the seasonal incidence of respiratory viruses, the effects of these viruses will be greater on asthma.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ling Jin ◽  
Wendy Black ◽  
Teresa Sawyer

Abstract In the face of new emerging respiratory viruses, such as SARS-CoV2, vaccines, and drug therapies are not immediately available to curb the spread of the infection. Non-pharmaceutical interventions, such as mask-wearing and social distance, can slow the transmission. However, both mask and social distance are not 100% effective at preventing the spread of respiratory viruses, such as SARS-CoV2 and influenza viruses. There is an urgent need to develop an intervention that could reduce the spread of respiratory viruses. Rhamnolipids are environmentally friendly and biologically safe surfactants that can kill enveloped viruses. Two rhamnolipid products, 222A and 222B, were investigated in this study to determine their ability to inactivate two enveloped viruses, bovine coronavirus and herpes simplex virus 1. We found that 222B at 0.005%, which has no toxicity to cells, can inactivate 105 PFU/ml enveloped viruses in 3-5 min. Moreover, 50-100µl of 222B at 0.005% on 1 cm2 mask fabrics can inactivate ~ 103 PFU /10 µl in 3-5 min. These results suggest that 222B can be coated on masks to prevent or reduce the spread of enveloped viruses.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan M. Read ◽  
Shanta Zimmer ◽  
Charles Vukotich ◽  
Mary Lou Schweizer ◽  
David Galloway ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Information on the etiology and age-specific burden of respiratory viral infections among school-aged children remains limited. Though school aged children are often recognized as driving the transmission of influenza as well as other respiratory viruses, little detailed information is available on the distribution of respiratory infections among children of different ages within this group. Factors other than age including gender and time spent in school may also be important in determining risk of infection but have been little studied in this age group. Methods We conducted a cohort study to determine the etiology of influenza like illness (ILI) among 2519 K–12 students during the 2012–13 influenza season. We obtained nasal swabs from students with ILI-related absences. Generalized linear mixed-effect regressions determined associations of outcomes, including ILI and laboratory-confirmed respiratory virus infection, with school grade and other covariates. Results Overall, 459 swabs were obtained from 552 ILI–related absences. Respiratory viruses were found in 292 (63.6%) samples. Influenza was found in 189 (41.2%) samples. With influenza B found in 134 (70.9%). Rates of influenza B were significantly higher in grades 1 (10.1, 95% CI 6.8–14.4%), 2 (9.7, 6.6–13.6%), 3 (9.3, 6.3–13.2%), and 4 (9.9, 6.8–13.8%) than in kindergarteners (3.2, 1.5–6.0%). After accounting for grade, sex and self-reported vaccination status, influenza B infection risk was lower among kindergarteners in half-day programs compared to kindergarteners in full-day programs (OR = 0.19; 95% CI 0.08–0.45). Conclusions ILI and influenza infection is concentrated in younger schoolchildren. Reduced infection by respiratory viruses is associated with a truncated school day for kindergarteners but this finding requires further investigation in other grades and populations.


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.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 175346662199505
Author(s):  
Alastair Watson ◽  
Tom M. A. Wilkinson

With the global over 60-year-old population predicted to more than double over the next 35 years, caring for this aging population has become a major global healthcare challenge. In 2016 there were over 1 million deaths in >70 year olds due to lower respiratory tract infections; 13–31% of these have been reported to be caused by viruses. Since then, there has been a global COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused over 2.3 million deaths so far; increased age has been shown to be the biggest risk factor for morbidity and mortality. Thus, the burden of respiratory viral infections in the elderly is becoming an increasing unmet clinical need. Particular challenges are faced due to the interplay of a variety of factors including complex multimorbidities, decreased physiological reserve and an aging immune system. Moreover, their atypical presentation of symptoms may lead to delayed necessary care, prescription of additional drugs and prolonged hospital stay. This leads to morbidity and mortality and further nosocomial spread. Clinicians currently have limited access to sensitive detection methods. Furthermore, a lack of effective antiviral treatments means there is little incentive to diagnose and record specific non-COVID-19 viral infections. To meet this unmet clinical need, it is first essential to fully understand the burden of respiratory viruses in the elderly. Doing this through prospective screening research studies for all respiratory viruses will help guide preventative policies and clinical trials for emerging therapeutics. The implementation of multiplex point-of-care diagnostics as a mainstay in all healthcare settings will be essential to understand the burden of respiratory viruses, diagnose patients and monitor outbreaks. The further development of novel targeted vaccinations as well as anti-viral therapeutics and new ways to augment the aging immune system is now also essential. The reviews of this paper are available via the supplemental material section.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 38-45
Author(s):  
S. A. Khmilevskaya ◽  
N. I. Zryachkin ◽  
V. E. Mikhailova

The aim: to study the etiological structure of acute respiratory infections in children aged 3 to 12 hospitalized in the early stages of the disease in the department of respiratory infections of the children’s hospital, and to reveal the features of their clinical course and the timing of DNA / RNA elimination of respiratory viruses from nasal secretions, depending on the method of therapy. Materials and methods: 100 children with acute respiratory infections aged 3 to 12 years were monitored. The nasal secrets on the DNA / RNA of respiratory viruses were studied by PCR. Depending on the method of therapy, patients were divided into 2 groups: patients of group 1 (comparison) received basic treatment (without the use of antiviral drugs), in patients of the 2nd group (main), along with basal therapy, the drug was used umifenovir in a 5-day course at the ageappropriate dosage. Results: In the etiologic structure of ARVI in children from 3 to 12 years, the leading place was taken by rhinovirus, influenza and metapneumovirus infections (isolated – 18%, 19% and 20% respectively, in the form of a mixed infection – 11%). The main syndromic diagnosis at the height of the disease was rhinopharyngitis. Complications were observed in 42% of cases, as often as possible with flu – 53% of cases. Features of metapneumovirus infection in children of this age group were: predominance of non-severe forms of the disease in the form of acute fever with symptoms of rhinopharyngitis, as well as a small incidence of lower respiratory tract infections. The use of the drug umiphenovir in children with acute respiratory viral infections of various etiologies contributed to significantly faster elimination of viral DNA / RNA from the nasal secretion, which was accompanied by a ecrease in the duration of the main clinical and hematological symptoms of the disease, a decrease in the incidence of complications, and reduced the duration of stay in hospital. Conclusion: application of modern molecular genetic methods of diagnostics made it possible to identify the leading role of influenza, metapneumovirus and rhinovirus infections in the etiology of acute respiratory viral infection in patients aged 3 to 12 years, and to determine a number of clinical features characteristic of this age group. The results of the study testify to the effectiveness of umiphenovir in the treatment of children with acute respiratory viral infections of various etiologies and allow us to recommend this drug as an effective and safe etiotropic agent.


Medicina ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 76
Author(s):  
Milomir S. Milanovic ◽  
Djordje M. Kadijevich ◽  
Ljudmila Stojanovich ◽  
Branislav Milovanovic ◽  
Aleksandra Djokovic

Background and Objectives: The concentration of antibodies against virus influenza A H1N1 in the titer (≥1:32) positively correlates with resistance to flu in healthy persons. In elderly and immune-compromised patients, an influenza vaccine may be less immunogenic. Hypothesis: A lower post-vaccinal antibody titer (≥1:16) may be sero-protective against respiratory viral infections in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Materials and Methods: Fifty patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus—24; Rheumatoid Arthritis—15; and Sjögren’s Syndrome—11), who were at least 65 years old or whose relative disease duration (disease duration/age) was greater than 1/8, were examined. Thirty-four of them were vaccinated with a trivalent inactivated non-adjuvant influenza vaccine. The antibody concentration against influenza virus A H1N1 was measured using the standardized hemagglutination inhibition test and patients who got any respiratory viral infection were registered. To test the hypothesis, a correlative analysis was applied, followed by a binary logistic regression that included potential confounding variables, such as age, disease duration and therapy (personal/health-related conditions). Results: Vaccinated patients were significantly less affected by respiratory viral infections (21% vs. 75%). The lower titer considered (≥1:16) was significantly present more often among vaccinated patients (68% vs. 6%). The correlation between its presence/absence and that of respiratory viral infections was –0.34 (p < 0.05). The binary logistic regression evidenced the relevance of this correlation, confirming the hypothesis. Vaccination was associated with the 87.3% reduction in the likelihood of getting respiratory viral infections, whereas the lower antibody titer (≥1:16) was associated with the 77.6% reduction in the likelihood of getting respiratory viral infections. The vaccine was well tolerated by all patients and after vaccination no exacerbation of the underlying disease was observed. Conclusions: A lower antibody titer (≥1:16) against influenza virus A H1N1 could be protective against respiratory viral infections for certain autoimmune rheumatic diseases patients, which confirms the clinical effectiveness of influenza vaccination.


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