The Seasonality of Respiratory Viruses in a Hong Kong Hospital, 2014-2023

Overview

Journal Viruses

Publisher MDPI

Specialty Microbiology

Date 2023 Sep 28

PMID 37766227

Authors

Wai-Sing Chan

Siu-Kei Yau

Man-Yan To

Sau-Man Leung

Kan-Pui Wong

Ka-Chun Lai

Ching-Yan Wong

Chin-Pang Leung

Chun-Hang Au

Thomas Shek-Kong Wan

Edmond Shiu-Kwan Ma

Bone Siu-Fai Tang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

We reviewed the multiplex PCR results of 20,127 respiratory specimens tested in a hospital setting from January 2014 to April 2023. The seasonal oscillation patterns of 17 respiratory viruses were studied. Compared with 2014-2019, a prominent drop in PCR positivity (from 64.46-69.21% to 17.29-29.89%, < 0.001) and virus diversity was observed during the COVID-19 pandemic, with predominance of rhinovirus/enterovirus, sporadic spikes of parainfluenza viruses 3 and 4, respiratory syncytial virus and SARS-CoV-2, and rare detection of influenza viruses, metapneumovirus, adenovirus and coronaviruses. The suppressed viruses appeared to regain activity from the fourth quarter of 2022 when pandemic interventions had been gradually relaxed in Hong Kong. With the co-circulation of SARS-CoV-2 and seasonal respiratory viruses, surveillance of their activity and an in-depth understanding of the clinical outcomes will provide valuable insights for improved public health measures and reducing disease burden.

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