Resurgence of respiratory syncytial virus infection during COVID-19 pandemic in Pune, India.

INTRODUCTION: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a leading cause of acute lower respiratory infection in children worldwide. Understanding its prevalence, variations, and characteristics is vital, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to investigate the RSV positivity rate, subtype prevalence, age and gender distribution, symptomatology, and co-infection rates during pre-pandemic and pandemic periods. METHODS: We analyzed data from 15,381 patients tested for RSV between 2017 and 2023. RESULTS: Our analysis revealed a 7.2% average RSV positivity rate in the pre-pandemic period, with significant fluctuations during the pandemic (1.5% in 2020 to 32.0% in 2021). We observed variations in RSVA and RSVB detection rates. The 0-4 years' age group was consistently the most affected, with a slight male predominance. Fever and cough were common symptoms. Therapeutic interventions, particularly antiviral usage and ventilation requirements, decreased during the pandemic. We also identified variations in co-infection rates with other respiratory viruses. CONCLUSION: Our study offers critical insights into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on RSV prevalence, subtype distribution, patient characteristics, and clinical management. These findings underscore the need for ongoing surveillance and adaptive public health responses.

Evidence-Based Guidelines for the Management of Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis (ABPA) in Children and Adolescents with Asthma.

BACKGROUND: Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) frequently complicates asthma. There is urgent need to develop evidence-based guidelines for the management of ABPA in children. The Evidence Based Guideline Development Group (EBGDG) of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) National Respiratory Chapter (NRC) addressed this need. METHODS: The EBGDG shortlisted clinical questions relevant to the management of ABPA in asthma. For each question, the EBGDG undertook a systematic, step-wise evidence search for existing guidelines, followed by systematic reviews, followed by primary research studies. The evidence was collated, critically appraised, and synthesized. The EBGDG worked through the Evidence to Decision (EtD) framework, to formulate recommendations, using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. RESULTS: Seven clinical questions were prioritized, and the following recommendations formulated. (1) Children with poorly controlled asthma should be investigated for ABPA (conditional recommendation, moderate certainty of evidence). (2) Low dose steroid therapy regimen (0.5 mg/kg/d for the first 2 wk, followed by a progressive tapering) is preferable to higher dose regimens (conditional recommendation, very low certainty of evidence). (3) Oral steroid regimens longer than 16 wk (including tapering), should not be used (conditional recommendation, very low certainty of evidence). (4) Antifungals may or may not be added to steroid therapy as the evidence was neither in favour nor against (conditional recommendation, low certainty of evidence). (5) For clinicians using antifungal agents, the EBGDG recommends against using voriconazole instead of itraconazole (conditional recommendation, very low certainty of evidence). (6) No evidence-based recommendation could be framed for using pulse steroid therapy in preference to conventional steroid therapy. (7) Immunotherapy with biologicals including omalizumab or dupilumab is not recommended (conditional recommendation, very low certainty of evidence). CONCLUSIONS: This evidence-based guideline can be used by healthcare providers in diverse clinical settings.

A retrospective analysis of respiratory virus transmission before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Pune the western region of India.

Background: SARS-CoV-2 was first reported in China in December 2019 and quickly spread across the world. Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) are the key to control the transmission of respiratory viruses. To stop the spread, NPI is widely recommended and is still followed by most countries. Methods: At the National Influenza Center of the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV), the surveillance of severe acute respiratory illness and acute respiratory illness cases for influenza and other respiratory viruses is in place. In this study, we analyzed surveillance data on respiratory viruses and/or SARS-CoV-2 testing from January 2017 to December 2021. Multiplex real-time PCR was used to detect the respiratory viruses. Results: Our findings indicate that during the pandemic, the positivity for influenza A and B, metapneumovirus, parainfluenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, and human coronavirus declined significantly. Conclusion: The annual distinct seasonal outbreaks of influenza, RSV, and other respiratory viruses as observed during the pre-COVID-19 period were not observed during the COVID-19 pandemic in years 2020 and 21. Social distancing, lock-downs, and non-pharmaceutical interventions may play an important role in the reduction of respiratory viruses. Understanding the seasonal respiratory virus decline could help public health experts prepare for future respiratory virus pandemics.

Looking beyond Pertussis in Prolonged Cough Illness of Young Children.

Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, is one of the most poorly controlled vaccine-preventable diseases in the world. South-East Asia is estimated to contribute the most to childhood disease burden while this remains largely unexplored in India. The clinical diagnosis of pertussis in young children is a challenge as the classical four-stage presentation with paroxysmal cough or whoop may be absent. It is also difficult to differentiate from other respiratory infections which can cause pertussis-like illness. Children below two years with prolonged cough illness attending an urban pediatric center in western India, were evaluated for pertussis and viral infections by molecular methods. Bordetella pertussis and B. holmesii were confirmed in three each of 45 suspected cases, and RSV-A and hMPV were the most common viruses that were detected. These organisms can mimic mild cases of pertussis and need to be considered in differential diagnosis of prolonged cough illness in young children. The accurate etiology of prolonged cough illness needs to be detected and documented to ensure appropriate management and accurate estimates of disease burden.

Pertussis seroprevalence in mother-infant pairs from India: role of maternal immunisation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate pertussis antibody status of pregnant women and their newborns, and the impact of antenatal immunisation. DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING: Hospitals in urban western India. PARTICIPANTS: Pregnant women and their newborns. METHODS: Pertussis antibody titres in mothers and their newborns were determined. Vaccinated and unvaccinated mothers and their newborns were compared for baseline characteristics, geometric mean titres (GMTs) and placental transfer ratio of antibodies. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to understand the influence of different factors on protective antibody titres. RESULTS: Of 284 mother-infant pairs, 75 mothers and 73 of their newborns were seropositive for anti-pertussis toxin (PT) IgG antibodies. 94 women were vaccinated in pregnancy; 51 (54.3%) of these mothers and newborns were PT IgG positive, compared with 24 (12.3%) of the women (and 22 newborns) not vaccinated in pregnancy. Women vaccinated in pregnancy and their newborns had higher GMT (30.88 and 32.54 IU/mL), compared with women who were not vaccinated (12.63%, 2.24 IU/mL) and their newborns (11.58%, 2.53 IU/mL). Placental transfer ratios in newborns of mothers vaccinated in pregnancy and those who had childhood immunisation or natural immunity were similar (1.05 and 1.12, respectively). Protective titres of antibodies at birth (>20 IU/mL) were observed in 72.3% vs 21% of newborns of vaccinated and unvaccinated pregnant women, respectively; influenced by mother's vaccination status and seropositivity. CONCLUSION: Protection against pertussis is low in newborns of mothers who are only immunised during childhood. Vaccination early in pregnancy boosts maternal and neonatal immunity.

Direct Saliva Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay Shows Low Birth Prevalence of Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection in Urban Western India.

BACKGROUND: Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection is the leading infectious cause of mental retardation, developmental delay and sensorineural deafness. Nonprimary infection plays a major role in transmission of this infection in countries with high maternal seroprevalence. Noninvasive sampling and testing is a useful alternative to traditional methods of laboratory detection of congenital CMV infection. The present study was conducted to understand birth prevalence of cCMV infection using molecular techniques, in an urban setting of a developing country with evidence of high maternal seroprevalence. METHODS: Universal newborn screening for cCMV was performed for 750 infants born at a tertiary care center in Western India. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was directly carried out on saliva samples. Follow-up laboratory testing of saliva, urine and blood was performed for neonates identified as positive. Sequential clinical follow-up was offered to the affected infants. RESULTS: A birth prevalence of 0.4% (95% CI: 0.13-1.2) was observed with 3 of 750 babies confirmed to be positive for cCMV infection. All 3 babies were born to seropositive mothers (anti-CMV immunoglobulin G positive). One of the babies detected was symptomatic with sepsis like features. All of them survived and did not develop any sequelae up to 1 year of age. CONCLUSION: The use of direct real-time polymerase chain reaction of saliva samples can be considered as a feasible option for newborn screening of congenital CMV infection in developing countries. Relatively low birth prevalence of cCMV infection was observed in our study, which needs to be corroborated through further studies.