Variation in the pattern of childhood respiratory viral infections during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic forced taking measures to restrain viral transmission. Our aim was to describe the changes in the patterns of childhood respiratory viral infections in admitted patients during the COVID19 pandemic. Method(s): We performed an observational study. Trends in respiratory PCR results, from all children admitted to the pediatric departments between Jan. 2015 to Aug. 2021 were evaluated using time series models. Weekly patterns were compared between pre-COVID era and COVID-19 era. Result(s): A total of 7322 pediatric admissions with respiratory viral panel PCR results from 43,466 admissions were evaluated. When comparing Pre-COVID-19 to the COVID-19 era, there was a significant decrease in the number of admissions in which a respiratory viral panel was performed (18% vs. 12%, p<0.001) and a decrease in the number of panels positive for a respiratory viral pathogen (47% vs. 36%, p<0.001). We observed a change in the circulation pattern of respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 era, with marked differences between different respiratory viruses;Influenza viruses completely disappeared;The peak in RSV infection was delayed from the 1st week of 2021 to the 25th week;HMPV had an attenuated peak in 2020 and peaked normally in 2021;parainfluenza viruses did not peak during 2020 with an early peak in the 1st week of 2021;Adenovirus circulation pattern was only minimally affected. Conclusion(s): This study offers a detailed picture of the change in respiratory viruses in children during the COVID19 pandemic, compared to previous years. The changes in patterns are probably related to the application of measures taken to control the SARS-CoV-2 transmission.

Pediatric admissions due to respiratory diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the incidence of respiratory viral infections. Our aim was to assess changes in pediatric admissions due to respiratory diseases and associated respiratory viral infections. Method(s): This was a case control study. All children hospitalized with a respiratory disease from Jan. 2015 to Aug. 2021 to the pediatric departments were included. Cases consisted of children admitted between Mar. 2020 to Aug. 2021 (COVID-19 era) and controls between Jan. 2015 to Mar. 2020 (pre COVID-19 era). Diagnosis, length of stay, demographic data, and viral panel results were compared. Result(s): A total of 8774 patients were included, 7157 controls and 1617 cases. There was a significant decrease in respiratory admission rates during the COVID-19 era (17.4% vs 20.9% of all admission, p<0.001). Cases had decreased rates of admissions due to bronchiolitis (4.72% vs 6.3%, p<0.001) and pneumonia (4.87% vs 6.26%, p<0.001) but not asthma (3.84% vs 3.9%), wheezing illness (2.62% vs 2.38%), complicated pneumonia (2.0% vs 2.0%) or stridor (1.79% vs 1.72%). There was a significant decrease in the detection of a respiratory viral pathogen in cases vs controls (44% vs 52%, p<0.001). This was related to a significant decrease in the detection of RSV (27% vs. 37%, p<0.001) and influenza (0.3% vs 5%, p<0.001), but not other respiratory viruses. Conclusion(s): During the COVID-19 pandemic, a decrease in pediatric admissions due to bronchiolitis and pneumonia was observed and associated with a decreased prevalence of RSV and influenza. This may allow us to estimate the significance of preventive measures and vaccination programs for RSV and influenza on respiratory pediatric diseases.