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AlBahrani S, Al Otaibi TO, Alqahtani JS, AlZahrani SJ, Sharbini DA, AlMuyidi FW, Alotaibi AO, Olayan OAA, AlMasoud SF, Bo Obaid MAH, Altawfiq KJA, Jebakumar AZ, Al-Tawfiq JA. The impact of non-pharmacologic interventions on respiratory syncytial virus hospitalization during the COVID-19 pandemic: A retrospective study from Saudi Arabia. J Infect Public Health 2024; 17:96-101. [PMID: 37992439 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2023.11.010] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) are frequently observed in infants and young children. The dynamics and transmission of ARTIs have been significantly impacted by the global COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigates the change in admission rates of Respiratory Syncytial virus (RSV) in a hospital in Saudi Arabia. METHODS The study included hospitalized pediatric patients who underwent RSV testing in three periods: pre-pandemic (2019), during the pandemic (2020-2021), and the immediate post-pandemic (2022). RSV testing was conducted using either PCR or antigen tests. RESULTS Between January 2019 to December 2022, out of 927 tested patients, 173 (18.7%) were positive for RSV. The yearly positivity rates were as follows: 42 (35.6%) of 118, 24 (33.3%) of 72, 15 (18.5%) of 81, and 92 (14%) of 656, yearly from 2019 to 2022, respectively (P < 0.00001). Among all cases, 150 (16.2%) required hospitalization, including 94 (62.7%) males and 56 (37.3%) females. The admission rate to the intensive care unit (ICU) was 25 (16.7%), and mechanical ventilation was required for 10 (6.6%) patients. The overall case fatality rate was 0.7%. A Binary logistic regression analysis showed upper respiratory tract symptoms were more common in patients admitted in 2019 compared to 2022 (odd ratio:20.9, 95% CI: 4.2-104.1, P value < 0.0001). CONCLUSION The study showed that there were differences in RSV infection before and after COVID-19. Understanding how COVID-19 mitigation measures affect RSV transmission can aid in the development of effective prevention and control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salma AlBahrani
- Infectious Disease Unit, Specialty Internal Medicine, King Fahd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, College of medicine-Imam Abdulrahaman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Jaber S Alqahtani
- Department of Respiratory Care, Prince Sultan Military College of Health Sciences, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Dalal Ahmad Sharbini
- Immunology and serology Department, King Fahd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
| | | | | | | | - Suliman Fahad AlMasoud
- Molecular laboratory department, King Fahd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
| | | | | | | | - Jaffar A Al-Tawfiq
- Infectious Disease Unit, Specialty Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; Infectious Disease Division, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Infectious Disease Division, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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