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COVID-19

COVID-19 Research Uncovers Prevalence of Common Respiratory Viruses in Fujian, China

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

New research published in Frontiers in Public Health has shed light on the local epidemiology and pathogen spectrum of acute respiratory infections caused by common respiratory viruses other than influenza virus (IFV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Fujian Province, China, from September 2020 to December 2023. The study, conducted by Zhengtao Zhang and colleagues, found that out of 3,345 collected samples, one or more respiratory viruses were identified in 30.2%. Rhinovirus (RV) was the most prevalent, followed by human parainfluenza virus (HPIV) and human respiratory syncytical virus (HRSV).

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that RV was the most prevalent virus, accounting for 10.9% of the identified viruses, followed by HPIV (6.2%) and HRSV (4.5%).
  • Human parainfluenza virus-3 (HPIV-3) was the dominant subtype, with 44.0% of HPIV cases, and human coronavirus-OC43 was the predominant genotype, with 54.4% of HCoV cases.
  • Co-infections were observed in 2.9% of cases, with RV and HPIV co-infection being the most frequent.
  • Age-specific variations were observed for most viruses, except for HCoV.
  • HRSV exhibited a notably higher prevalence in young children.
  • The study emphasizes the importance of age-specific and seasonally tailored interventions, as well as the need for comprehensive diagnostic tools capable of simultaneously identifying multiple pathogens.

Statistics:

  • 30.2% of collected samples tested positive for one or more respiratory viruses.
  • RV accounted for 10.9% of identified viruses.
  • HPIV accounted for 6.2% of identified viruses.
  • HRSV accounted for 4.5% of identified viruses.
  • HPIV-3 was the dominant subtype, with 44.0% of HPIV cases.
  • HCoV-OC43 was the predominant genotype, with 54.4% of HCoV cases.
  • Co-infections were observed in 2.9% of cases.

Sources:

  • Exploring the respiratory viral landscape beyond influenza and SARS-CoV-2: a 2020-2023 study in Fujian, China. Frontiers in Public Health, 2025;13:1558716.
  • Zhengtao Zhang, Nanping First Hospital, Nanping, People's Republic of China.
  • Libin You, Hongjin Li, and Yuwei Weng, additional authors of the research.

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