scholarly journals Implications of the Unexpected Persistance of Human Rhinovirus/Enterovirus during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Canada

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Champredon ◽  
Christina Bancej ◽  
Liza Lee ◽  
Steven Buckrell
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Respiratory Viruses ◽  
Human Rhinovirus ◽  
Respiratory Pathogens ◽  
Contact Rate ◽  
Health Measures

Stringent public health measures imposed across Canada to control the COVID-19 pandemic have nearly suppressed most seasonal respiratory viruses, with the notable exception of human rhinovirus/enterovirus (hRV/EV). Thanks to this unexpected persistence, we highlight that hRV/EV could serve as a sentinel for levels of contact rate in populations to inform on the efficiency¬, or the need of, public health measures to control the subsequent COVID-19 epidemic, but also for future epidemics from other seasonal or emerging respiratory pathogens.

scholarly journals Rapid disappearance of influenza following the implementation of COVID-19 mitigation measures in Hamilton, Ontario

2021 ◽  
Vol 47 (04) ◽  
pp. 202-208
Author(s):  
Kevin Zhang ◽  
Avika Misra ◽  
Patrick J Kim ◽  
Seyed M Moghadas ◽  
Joanne M Langley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Respiratory Virus ◽  
Respiratory Viruses ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Nasopharyngeal Swab ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Bayesian Linear Regression ◽  
Syncytial Virus ◽  
The Impact

Background: Public health measures, such as physical distancing and closure of schools and non-essential services, were rapidly implemented in Canada to interrupt the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We sought to investigate the impact of mitigation measures during the spring wave of COVID-19 on the incidence of other laboratory-confirmed respiratory viruses in Hamilton, Ontario. Methods: All nasopharyngeal swab specimens (n=57,503) submitted for routine respiratory virus testing at a regional laboratory serving all acute-care hospitals in Hamilton between January 2010 and June 2020 were reviewed. Testing for influenza A and B, respiratory syncytial virus, human metapneumovirus, parainfluenza I–III, adenovirus, and rhinovirus/enterovirus was done routinely using a laboratory-developed polymerase chain reaction multiplex respiratory viral panel. A Bayesian linear regression model was used to determine the trend of positivity rates of all influenza samples for the first 26 weeks of each year from 2010 to 2019. The mean positivity rate of Bayesian inference was compared with the weekly reported positivity rate of influenza samples in 2020. Results: The positivity rate of influenza in 2020 diminished sharply following the population-wide implementation of COVID-19 interventions. Weeks 12–26 reported 0% positivity for influenza, with the exception of 0.1% reported in week 13. Conclusion: Public health measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with a reduced incidence of other respiratory viruses and should be considered to mitigate severe seasonal influenza and other respiratory virus pandemics.

scholarly journals Respiratory virus surveillance in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic: An epidemiological analysis of the effectiveness of pandemic-related public health measures in reducing seasonal respiratory viruses test positivity

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0253451
Author(s):  
Kyu Young Park ◽  
Sumin Seo ◽  
Junhee Han ◽  
Ji Young Park
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Respiratory Virus ◽  
Influenza Season ◽  
National Level ◽  
Virus Detection ◽  
Respiratory Viruses ◽  
Surveillance Data ◽  
Time Series Regression ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Virus Surveillance

Background Various public health measures have been implemented globally to counter the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The purpose of this study was to evaluate respiratory virus surveillance data to determine the effectiveness of such interventions in reducing transmission of seasonal respiratory viruses. Method We retrospectively analysed data from the Respiratory Virus Detection Surveillance System in Canada, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, by interrupted time series regression. Results The national level of infection with seasonal respiratory viruses, which generally does not necessitate quarantine or contact screening, was greatly reduced after Canada imposed physical distancing and other quarantine measures. The 2019–2020 influenza season ended earlier than it did in the previous year. The influenza virus was replaced by rhinovirus/enterovirus or parainfluenza virus in the previous year, with the overall test positivity remaining at approximately 35%. However, during the 2019–2020 post-influenza period, the overall test positivity of respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 was still low (7.2%). Moreover, the 2020–2021 influenza season had not occurred by the end of February 2021. Conclusion Respiratory virus surveillance data may provide real-world evidence of the effectiveness of implemented public health interventions during the current and future pandemics.

scholarly journals The Effect of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Mitigation Strategies on Seasonal Respiratory Viruses: A Tale of 2 Large Metropolitan Centers in the United States

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy C Sherman ◽  
Ahmed Babiker ◽  
Andrew J Sieben ◽  
Alexander Pyden ◽  
James Steinberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
The United States ◽  
Respiratory Viruses ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
The Public ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Reproductive Rates ◽  
The Impact

Abstract To assess the impact of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic on seasonal respiratory viruses, absolute case counts and viral reproductive rates from 2019–2020 were compared against previous seasons. Our findings suggest that the public health measures implemented to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission significantly reduced the transmission of other respiratory viruses.

scholarly journals Broad respiratory testing to identify SARS-CoV-2 viral co-circulation and inform diagnostic stewardship in the COVID-19 pandemic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie C. Marshall ◽  
Ruwandi M. Kariyawasam ◽  
Nathan Zelyas ◽  
Mathew A. Diggle
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Respiratory Viruses ◽  
Cross Reactivity ◽  
Respiratory Pathogen ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Respiratory Pathogens ◽  
Public Health Importance ◽  
Clinical Laboratories ◽  
Pathogen Testing ◽  
Virus Testing

Abstract Background: SARS-CoV-2 infection can present with a broad clinical differential that includes many other respiratory viruses; therefore, accurate tests are crucial to distinguish true COVID-19 cases from pathogens that do not require urgent public health interventions. Co-circulation of other respiratory viruses is largely unknown during the COVID-19 pandemic but would inform strategies to rapidly and accurately test patients with respiratory symptoms.Methods: This study retrospectively examined 298,415 respiratory specimens collected from symptomatic patients for SARS-CoV-2 testing in the three months since COVID-19 was initially documented in the province of Alberta, Canada. By focusing on 52,285 specimens that were also tested with the Luminex Respiratory Pathogen Panel for 17 other pathogens, this study examines the prevalence of 18 potentially co-circulating pathogens and their relative rates in prior years versus since COVID-19 emerged, including four endemic coronaviruses. Results: SARS-CoV-2 was identified in 2.2% of specimens. Parallel broad multiplex testing detected additional pathogens in only 3.4% of these specimens: significantly less than in SARS-CoV-2-negative specimens (p < 0.0001), suggesting very low rates of SARS-CoV-2 co-infection. Furthermore, the overall co-infection rate was significantly lower among specimens with SARS-CoV-2 detected (p < 0.0001). Finally, less than 0.005% of all specimens tested positive for both SARS-CoV-2 and any of the four endemic coronaviruses tested, strongly suggesting neither co-infection nor cross-reactivity between these coronaviruses. Conclusions: Broad respiratory pathogen testing rarely detected additional pathogens in SARS-CoV-2-positive specimens. While helpful to understand co-circulation of respiratory viruses causing similar symptoms as COVID-19, ultimately these broad tests were resource-intensive and inflexible in a time when clinical laboratories face unprecedented demand for respiratory virus testing, with further increases expected during influenza season. A transition from broad, multiplex tests toward streamlined diagnostic algorithms targeting respiratory pathogens of public health concern could simultaneously reduce the overall burden on clinical laboratories while prioritizing testing of pathogens of public health importance. This is particularly valuable with ongoing strains on testing resources, exacerbated during influenza seasons.

scholarly journals Broad respiratory testing to identify SARS-CoV-2 viral co-circulation and inform diagnostic stewardship in the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie C. Marshall ◽  
Ruwandi M. Kariyawasam ◽  
Nathan Zelyas ◽  
Jamil N. Kanji ◽  
Mathew A. Diggle
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Respiratory Viruses ◽  
Cross Reactivity ◽  
Respiratory Pathogen ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Respiratory Pathogens ◽  
Public Health Importance ◽  
Clinical Laboratories ◽  
Pathogen Testing ◽  
Virus Testing

Abstract Background SARS-CoV-2 infection can present with a broad clinical differential that includes many other respiratory viruses; therefore, accurate tests are crucial to distinguish true COVID-19 cases from pathogens that do not require urgent public health interventions. Co-circulation of other respiratory viruses is largely unknown during the COVID-19 pandemic but would inform strategies to rapidly and accurately test patients with respiratory symptoms. Methods This study retrospectively examined 298,415 respiratory specimens collected from symptomatic patients for SARS-CoV-2 testing in the three months since COVID-19 was initially documented in the province of Alberta, Canada (March-May, 2020). By focusing on 52,285 specimens that were also tested with the Luminex Respiratory Pathogen Panel for 17 other pathogens, this study examines the prevalence of 18 potentially co-circulating pathogens and their relative rates in prior years versus since COVID-19 emerged, including four endemic coronaviruses. Results SARS-CoV-2 was identified in 2.2% of all specimens. Parallel broad multiplex testing detected additional pathogens in only 3.4% of these SARS-CoV-2-positive specimens: significantly less than in SARS-CoV-2-negative specimens (p < 0.0001), suggesting very low rates of SARS-CoV-2 co-infection. Furthermore, the overall co-infection rate was significantly lower among specimens with SARS-CoV-2 detected (p < 0.0001). Finally, less than 0.005% of all specimens tested positive for both SARS-CoV-2 and any of the four endemic coronaviruses tested, strongly suggesting neither co-infection nor cross-reactivity between these coronaviruses. Conclusions Broad respiratory pathogen testing rarely detected additional pathogens in SARS-CoV-2-positive specimens. While helpful to understand co-circulation of respiratory viruses causing similar symptoms as COVID-19, ultimately these broad tests were resource-intensive and inflexible in a time when clinical laboratories face unprecedented demand for respiratory virus testing, with further increases expected during influenza season. A transition from broad, multiplex tests toward streamlined diagnostic algorithms targeting respiratory pathogens of public health concern could simultaneously reduce the overall burden on clinical laboratories while prioritizing testing of pathogens of public health importance. This is particularly valuable with ongoing strains on testing resources, exacerbated during influenza seasons.

scholarly journals Decline of Influenza and Respiratory Viruses With COVID-19 Public Health Measures: Alberta, Canada

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Doroshenko ◽  
Nelson Lee ◽  
Clayton MacDonald ◽  
Nathan Zelyas ◽  
Leyla Asadi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Respiratory Viruses ◽  
Health Measures

scholarly journals Rapid disappearance of influenza following the implementation of COVID-19 mitigation measures in Hamilton, Ontario

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Zhang ◽  
Avika Misra ◽  
Patrick J. Kim ◽  
Seyed M. Moghadas ◽  
Joanne M. Langley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Influenza A ◽  
Respiratory Virus ◽  
Respiratory Viruses ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Nasopharyngeal Swab ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Syncytial Virus ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The Impact

AbstractBackgroundPublic health measures, such as social distancing and closure of schools and non-essential services, were rapidly implemented in Canada to interrupt the spread of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).ObjectiveWe sought to investigate the impact of mitigation measures during the spring wave of COVID-19 on the incidence of other laboratory-confirmed respiratory viruses in Hamilton, Ontario.MethodsAll nasopharyngeal swab specimens (n = 57,503) submitted for routine respiratory virus testing at a regional laboratory serving all acute-care hospitals in Hamilton, Ontario between January 2010 and June 2020 were reviewed. Testing for influenza A/B, respiratory syncytial virus, human metapneumovirus, parainfluenza I–III, adenovirus and rhinovirus/enterovirus was done routinely using a laboratory-developed polymerase chain reaction multiplex respiratory viral panel. A Bayesian linear regression model was used to determine the trend of positivity rates of all influenza samples for the first 26 weeks of each year from 2010 to 2019. The mean positivity rate of Bayesian inference was compared with the weekly reported positivity rate of influenza samples in 2020.ResultsThe positivity rate of influenza in 2020 diminished sharply following the population-wide implementation of COVID-19 interventions. Weeks 12-26 reported 0% positivity for influenza, with the exception of 0.1% reported in week 13.ConclusionsPublic health measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with a reduced incidence of other respiratory viruses and should be considered to mitigate severe seasonal influenza and other respiratory virus pandemics.

COVID-19 cases are likely to surge in winter

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Immune Status ◽  
Respiratory Viruses ◽  
The Political ◽  
Complex Interplay ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Global Management ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Political Stance

Significance Viruses, however, survive better in the environment during winter and respiratory viruses transmit more readily during a colder, drier season. While some countries experienced the peak of the pandemic around April, others are now accelerating, irrespective of weather. This points to public health measures remaining central to management of COVID-19, especially in the complex interplay with other winter pathogens. Impacts Coming months will reveal more data on immune status of affected individuals and likelihood of reinfection. Initial data from advanced vaccine clinical trials will become available towards November-December. The political stance on public health will remain the biggest driver of reform in global management of this and future epidemics.

scholarly journals Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Public Health Measures on Detections of Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Children During the 2020 Australian Winter

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel K Yeoh ◽  
David A Foley ◽  
Cara A Minney-Smith ◽  
Andrew C Martin ◽  
Ariel O Mace ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Respiratory Syncytial Virus ◽  
Respiratory Viruses ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Syncytial Virus ◽  
Western Australian

Abstract Public health measures targeting coronavirus disease 2019 have potential to impact transmission of other respiratory viruses. We found 98.0% and 99.4% reductions in respiratory syncytial virus and influenza detections, respectively, in Western Australian children through winter 2020 despite schools reopening. Border closures have likely been important in limiting external introductions.

scholarly journals Impact of SARS-CoV-2 on Seasonal Respiratory Viruses: A Tale of Two Large Metropolitan Centers in the United States

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy C. Sherman ◽  
Ahmed Babiker ◽  
Andrew J. Sieben ◽  
Alexander Pyden ◽  
James Steinberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Respiratory Viruses ◽  
The Public ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Reproductive Rates ◽  
The Impact

AbstractTo assess the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on seasonal respiratory viruses, absolute case counts and viral reproductive rates from 2019-2020 were compared against previous seasons. Our findings suggest that the public health measures implemented to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission significantly reduced the transmission of other respiratory viruses.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document