Resurgence of respiratory syncytial virus infection during COVID-19 pandemic in Pune, India
Sumit Dutt Bhardwaj, Manohar Lal Choudhary, Mandeep Chadha, Aarti Kinikar, Ashish Bavdekar, Nilesh Maruti Gujar, Pradeep D’costa, Rajesh Kulkarni, Sanjay Bafna, Sonali Salvi, Vikram Padbidri, Varsha Potdar
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a leading cause of acute lower respiratory infection in children worldwide. Understanding its prevalence, variations, and characteristics is vital, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to investigate the RSV positivity rate, subtype prevalence, age and gender distribution, symptomatology, and co-infection rates during pre-pandemic and pandemic periods. METHODS: We analyzed data from 15,381 patients tested for RSV between 2017 and 2023. RESULTS: Our analysis revealed a 7.2% average RSV positivity rate in the pre-pandemic period, with significant fluctuations during the pandemic (1.5% in 2020 to 32.0% in 2021). We observed variations in RSVA and RSVB detection rates. The 0-4 years' age group was consistently the most affected, with a slight male predominance. Fever and cough were common symptoms. Therapeutic interventions, particularly antiviral usage and ventilation requirements, decreased during the pandemic. We also identified variations in co-infection rates with other respiratory viruses. CONCLUSION: Our study offers critical insights into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on RSV prevalence, subtype distribution, patient characteristics, and clinical management. These findings underscore the need for ongoing surveillance and adaptive public health responses.