Human respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, circulating in the winter season 2019–2020 in Parma, Northern Italy

International Journal of Infectious Diseases

Flora De Conto¹  Adriana Calderaro²  Carlo Chezzi²  Sara Montecchini²  Monica Martinelli²  Mirko Buttrini²  Giovanna Piccolo²  Francesca Ferraglia³  Alan Di Maio³  Maria Cristina Arcangeletti⁴  Paolo Montagna⁴  Clara Maccari⁴  Federica Pinardi⁴ 

[1] Corresponding author at: Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Viale A. Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy.;Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Viale A. Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy;Unit of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital of Parma, Viale A. Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy;Unit of Clinical Virology, University Hospital of Parma, Viale A. Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy;

关键词: Respiratory viruses;    SARS-CoV-2;    Diagnosis;    Epidemiology;    Pandemic;    Molecular assays;   

DOI  :  

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of respiratory virus infections, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), during the winter period December 2019 to March 2020, via a tertiary care hospital-based survey in Parma, Northern Italy. Methods: A total of 906 biological samples from the respiratory tract were analysed by both conventional assays (including culture) and molecular assays targeting nucleic acids of SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses. Results: Overall, 474 samples (52.3%) were positive for at least one virus, with a total of 583 viruses detected. Single infections were detected in 380 (80.2%) samples and mixed infections were detected in 94 (19.8%). Respiratory syncytial virus (138/583, 23.7%) and rhinovirus (130/583, 22.3%) were the most commonly identified viruses, followed by SARS-CoV-2 (82/583, 14.1%). Respiratory syncytial virus predominated until February, with 129 detections; it then decreased drastically in March to only nine detections. SARS-CoV-2 was absent in the study area until February 26, 2020 and then reached 82 detections in just over a month. SARS-CoV-2 was found in mixed infections in only three cases, all observed in children younger than 1 year old. Conclusions: This study showed a completely different trend between SARS-CoV-2 and the ‘common’ respiratory viruses: the common viruses mostly affected children, without any distinction according to sex, while SARS-CoV-2 mostly affected adult males.

【 授权许可】

Unknown