Epidemiological characteristics of common respiratory viruses among
children in Hangzhou, China: comparison of COVID-19 before, during and
after the pandemic
Abstract
Background: Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) against
severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) not only
curbed the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) but also affected
common respiratory viruses infected by children. The purpose of this
study was to explore the effect of NPIs on common respiratory viruses in
children. Methods: Samples of children diagnosed with
respiratory tract infection in Children’s Hospital affiliated with
Zhejiang University from January 2019 to August 2023 were collected, and
ADV, Flu A, Flu B and RSV were detected. To analyze the changes in
common respiratory viruses in children in three stages: pre-COVID-19,
pandemic and late. Statistical analysis was carried out with R software.
Results: From January 2019 to August 2023, a total of 567,858
samples were tested, including 308,163 males, accounting for 54.26%,
and 259,695 females, accounting for 45.73%. Among them, there were
173,956 positive samples (30.63%), 40,279 ADV-positive samples
(23.15%), 78,580 Flu A-positive samples (45.17%), 26,888 Flu
B-positive samples (15.45%) and 28,209 RSV-positive samples (16.21%).
Among children of different ages in Hangzhou before, during and after
COVID-19, the highest total detection rate of respiratory virus was 1-3
years old (accounting for 40.24%), followed by 4-6 years old
(accounting for 26.59%). The distribution in different seasons shows
that the number of children infected with respiratory viruses reaches a
peak in winter and spring. Compared with 2019 (35.60%) before the
COVID-19 epidemic, the total detection rate of common respiratory
viruses in children was lower during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2022)
(27.89%, 22.71%, 24.63%), and it was increased in 2023 while after
NPIs were cancelled (accounting for 33.75%). Conclusion: NPI
measures can effectively reduce the spread of common respiratory
viruses, but at the same time, they will weaken human immunity to these
respiratory viruses.