Vink E, Banda L, Amoah AS, Kasenda S, Read JM, Jewell C, Denis B, Mwale AC, Crampin A, Anscombe C, Menyere M, Ho A. Prevalence of Endemic Respiratory Viruses During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Urban and Rural Malawi.
Open Forum Infect Dis 2024;
11:ofad643. [PMID:
38312213 PMCID:
PMC10836885 DOI:
10.1093/ofid/ofad643]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Background
We investigated endemic respiratory virus circulation patterns in Malawi, where no lockdown was imposed, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods
Within a prospective household cohort in urban and rural Malawi, adult participants provided upper respiratory tract (URT) samples at 4 time points between February 2021 and April 2022. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed for SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and other endemic respiratory viruses.
Results
1626 URT samples from 945 participants in 542 households were included. Overall, 7.6% (n = 123) samples were PCR- positive for >1 respiratory virus; SARS-CoV-2 (4.4%) and rhinovirus (2.0%) were most common. No influenza A virus was detected. Influenza B and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) were rare. Higher virus positivity were detected in the rural setting and at earlier time points. Coinfections were infrequent.
Conclusions
Endemic respiratory viruses circulated in the community in Malawi during the pandemic, though influenza and RSV were rarely detected. Distinct differences in virus positivity and demographics were observed between urban and rural cohorts.
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