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Surveillance of Respiratory Syncytial Virus [RSV], Influenza A and B Viral Infections in COVID-19 Negative Individuals in Oyo State, Nigeria
Adefunke Akinola , Oluseyi Adebowale Olayinka , Toyosi Yekeen Raheem *
Department of Biological Sciences, Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria & Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria
Abstract:   (399 Views)
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the critical need for robust surveillance of other respiratory viruses due to overlapping clinical presentations, which can complicate accurate diagnosis. Consequently, precise etiological diagnosis remains paramount, particularly in settings where SARS-CoV-2 infection is suspected, given the shared symptomatology with other respiratory pathogens. This retrospective study investigated the prevalence of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and Influenza A and B virus infections among individuals who tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 in Oyo State, Nigeria. Methods: Nasopharyngeal samples (n = 206) were collected between January 2023 and June 2023 from both adults and children who tested negative for COVID-19 using RT-qPCR. These samples were subsequently analyzed following a standardized protocol, which included viral RNA extraction and a multiplex one-step RT-qPCR assay. The resulting data were statistically analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics software (version 25). Results: Among individuals who tested negative for COVID-19, RSV was detected in 2.8% of children and 2.0% of adults. Influenza B was identified in 2.8% of children and 1.0% of adults, while Influenza A was detected in 1.0% of adults but was not found in any children. The mean age of the participants was 2.97 years for children and 33.51 years for adults. Conclusion: Although the observed detection rates were relatively low, our findings underscore the continued necessity of screening for RSV and Influenza A and B viruses in individuals presenting with respiratory symptoms, even in the context of a negative SARS-CoV-2 test result. Sustained surveillance efforts are paramount for a comprehensive understanding of respiratory viral epidemiology, including the dynamics of circulation, potential geographic variations, and the identification of potential outbreak hotspots, thereby informing evidence-based public health interventions and clinical management strategies. Future prospective sentinel surveillance studies will be instrumental in further elucidating the complexities of respiratory viral co-infections and revealing nuanced spatiotemporal and demographic patterns of infection.
Keywords: Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Influenza A, Influenza B, COVID-19, Respiratory co-infections, Surveillance, Oyo State, Nigeria
     
Type of Study: Original article | Subject: Infectious diseases and public health
Received: 2023/12/5 | Accepted: 2025/03/11
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Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.