Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and respiratory syncytial virus coinfection in children

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is similar to 2 other coronaviruses, SARS-CoV and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), in causing life-threatening maternal respiratory infections and systemic complications. Because of global concern for potential intrauterine transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from pregnant women to their infants, this report analyzes the effects on pregnancy of infections caused by SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory RNA viruses, and examines the frequency of maternal-fetal transmission with SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza (HPIV), and metapneumovirus (hMPV). There have been no confirmed cases of intrauterine transmission reported with SARS-CoV-2 or any other coronaviruses—SARS and MERS. Influenza virus, despite causing approximately 1 billion annual infections globally, has only a few cases of confirmed or suspected intrauterine fetal infections reported. Respiratory syncytial virus is an unusual cause of illness among pregnant women, and with the exception of 1 premature infant with congenital pneumonia, no other cases of maternal-fetal infection are described. Parainfluenza virus and hMPV can produce symptomatic maternal infections but do not cause intrauterine fetal infection. In summary, it appears that the absence thus far of maternal-fetal transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus during the COVID-19 pandemic is similar to other coronaviruses, and is also consistent with the extreme rarity of suggested or confirmed cases of intrauterine transmission of other respiratory RNA viruses. This observation has important consequences for pregnant women because it appears that if intrauterine transmission of SARS-CoV-2 does eventually occur, it will be a rare event. Potential mechanisms of fetal protection from maternal viral infections are also discussed.

Download Full-text

The Impact of Social Distancing for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 on Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Influenza Burden

Clinical Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/cid/ciaa1543 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Kathryn M Edwards

Keyword(s):

Respiratory Syncytial Virus ◽

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽

Social Distancing ◽

Syncytial Virus ◽

The Impact

Download Full-text

Decrease in pediatric inpatients with respiratory syncytial virus infection during severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic

Pediatrics International ◽

10.1111/ped.14717 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yumi Kang ◽

Takuma Ohnishi ◽

Kawano Yutaka ◽

Tetsuya Kunikata ◽

Ko Ichihashi

Keyword(s):

Respiratory Syncytial Virus ◽

Virus Infection ◽

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽

Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection ◽

Syncytial Virus

Download Full-text

4′-Fluorouridine is an oral antiviral that blocks respiratory syncytial virus and SARS-CoV-2 replication

Science ◽

10.1126/science.abj5508 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 375 (6577) ◽

pp. 161-167

Author(s):

Julien Sourimant ◽

Carolin M. Lieber ◽

Megha Aggarwal ◽

Robert M. Cox ◽

Josef D. Wolf ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Respiratory Syncytial Virus ◽

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽

Broad Spectrum ◽

Rna Viruses ◽

Antiviral Drugs ◽

Emerging Pathogens ◽

Primary Indication ◽

Syncytial Virus ◽

Derivatives Of

Preparing antiviral defenses Antiviral drugs are an important tool in the battle against COVID-19. Both remdesivir and molnupiravir, which target the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) polymerase, were first developed against other RNA viruses. This highlights the importance of broad-spectrum antivirals that can be rapidly deployed against related emerging pathogens. Sourimant et al . used respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as a primary indication in identifying further drugs that target the polymerase enzyme of RNA viruses. The authors explored derivatives of molnupiravir and identified 4′ fluorouridine (EIDD-2749) as an inhibitor of the polymerase of RSV and SARS-CoV-2. This drug can be delivered orally and was effective against RSV in mice and SARS-CoV-2 in ferrets. —VV

Download Full-text

Global Seasonality of Human Seasonal Coronaviruses: A Clue for Postpandemic Circulating Season of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2?

The Journal of Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/infdis/jiaa436 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 222 (7) ◽

pp. 1090-1097 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

You Li ◽

Xin Wang ◽

Harish Nair

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Influenza Virus ◽

Respiratory Syncytial Virus ◽

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽

Influenza Season ◽

Global Scale ◽

Weather Data ◽

Site Specific ◽

Respiratory Syncytial Virus Season ◽

Syncytial Virus

Abstract Background The ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) could recur as seasonal outbreaks, a circulating pattern observed among other preexisting human seasonal coronaviruses (sCoVs). However, little is known about seasonality of sCoVs on a global scale. Methods We conducted a systematic review of data on seasonality of sCoVs. We compared seasonality of sCoVs with influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus. We modeled monthly activity of sCoVs using site-specific weather data. Results We included sCoV seasonality data in 40 sites from 21 countries. sCoVs were prevalent in winter months in most temperate sites except for China, whereas sCoVs tended to be less seasonal in China and in tropical sites. In temperate sites excluding China, 53.1% of annual sCoV cases (interquartile range [IQR], 34.6%–61.9%) occurred during influenza season and 49.6% (IQR, 30.2%–60.2%) of sCoV cases occurred during respiratory syncytial virus season. Low temperature combined with high relative humidity was associated with higher sCoV activity. Conclusions This is the first study that provides an overview of the global seasonality of sCoVs. Our findings offer clues to the possible postpandemic circulating season of SARS-CoV-2 and add to the knowledge pool necessary for postpandemic preparedness for SARS-CoV-2.

Download Full-text