Dataset Information

Human respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, circulating in the winter season 2019-2020 in Parma, Northern Italy.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of respiratory virus infections, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), during the winter period December 2019 to March 2020, via a tertiary care hospital-based survey in Parma, Northern Italy.

Methods

A total of 906 biological samples from the respiratory tract were analysed by both conventional assays (including culture) and molecular assays targeting nucleic acids of SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses.

Results

Overall, 474 samples (52.3%) were positive for at least one virus, with a total of 583 viruses detected. Single infections were detected in 380 (80.2%) samples and mixed infections were detected in 94 (19.8%). Respiratory syncytial virus (138/583, 23.7%) and rhinovirus (130/583, 22.3%) were the most commonly identified viruses, followed by SARS-CoV-2 (82/583, 14.1%). Respiratory syncytial virus predominated until February, with 129 detections; it then decreased drastically in March to only nine detections. SARS-CoV-2 was absent in the study area until February 26, 2020 and then reached 82 detections in just over a month. SARS-CoV-2 was found in mixed infections in only three cases, all observed in children younger than 1 year old.

Conclusions

This study showed a completely different trend between SARS-CoV-2 and the 'common' respiratory viruses: the common viruses mostly affected children, without any distinction according to sex, while SARS-CoV-2 mostly affected adult males.

SUBMITTER: Calderaro A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7530558 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Human respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, circulating in the winter season 2019-2020 in Parma, Northern Italy.

Calderaro Adriana A De Conto Flora F Buttrini Mirko M Piccolo Giovanna G Montecchini Sara S Maccari Clara C Martinelli Monica M Di Maio Alan A Ferraglia Francesca F Pinardi Federica F Montagna Paolo P Arcangeletti Maria Cristina MC Chezzi Carlo C

International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases 20201002

<h4>Objectives</h4>The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of respiratory virus infections, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), during the winter period December 2019 to March 2020, via a tertiary care hospital-based survey in Parma, Northern Italy.<h4>Methods</h4>A total of 906 biological samples from the respiratory tract were analysed by both conventional assays (including culture) and molecular assays targeting nucleic acids of SARS-CoV-2 and ...[more]

PMID: 33017694

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Project description:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the coronavirus disease COVID-19, a public health emergency worldwide, and Italy is among the most severely affected countries. The first autochthonous Italian case of COVID-19 was documented on February 21, 2020. We investigated the possibility that SARS-CoV-2 emerged in Italy earlier than that date, by analysing 40 composite influent wastewater samples collected - in the framework of other wastewater-based epidemiology projects - between October 2019 and February 2020 from five wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in three cities and regions in northern Italy (Milan/Lombardy, Turin/Piedmont and Bologna/Emilia Romagna). Twenty-four additional samples collected in the same WWTPs between September 2018 and June 2019 (i.e. long before the onset of the epidemic) were included as 'blank' samples. Viral concentration was performed according to the standard World Health Organization procedure for poliovirus sewage surveillance, with modifications. Molecular analysis was undertaken with both nested RT-PCR and real-rime RT-PCR assays. A total of 15 positive samples were confirmed by both methods. The earliest dates back to 18 December 2019 in Milan and Turin and 29 January 2020 in Bologna. Virus concentration in the samples ranged from below the limit of detection (LOD) to 5.6 × 104 genome copies (g.c.)/L, and most of the samples (23 out of 26) were below the limit of quantification of PCR. Our results demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 was already circulating in northern Italy at the end of 2019. Moreover, it was circulating in different geographic regions simultaneously, which changes our previous understanding of the geographical circulation of the virus in Italy. Our study highlights the importance of environmental surveillance as an early warning system, to monitor the levels of virus circulating in the population and identify outbreaks even before cases are notified to the healthcare system.

Dataset Information

Human respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, circulating in the winter season 2019-2020 in Parma, Northern Italy.

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Human respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, circulating in the winter season 2019-2020 in Parma, Northern Italy.

Similar Datasets

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