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Comparative Study
. 2020 Nov;14(6):638-646.
doi: 10.1111/irv.12726. Epub 2020 Mar 12.

Human respiratory syncytial virus and influenza seasonality patterns-Early findings from the WHO global respiratory syncytial virus surveillance

Mandeep Chadha  1 , Siddhivinayak Hirve  2 , Christina Bancej  3 , Ian Barr  4 , Elsa Baumeister  5 , Braulia Caetano  6 , Malinee Chittaganpitch  7 , Badarch Darmaa  8 , Joanna Ellis  9 , Rodrigo Fasce  10 , Herve Kadjo  11 , Sandra Jackson  2 , Vivian Leung  4 , Maria Pisareva  12 , Jocelyn Moyes  13 , Amel Naguib  14 , Almiro Tivane  15 , Wenqing Zhang  2 ; WHO RSV Surveillance Group
Collaborators, Affiliations
Comparative Study

Human respiratory syncytial virus and influenza seasonality patterns-Early findings from the WHO global respiratory syncytial virus surveillance

Mandeep Chadha et al. Influenza Other Respir Viruses. 2020 Nov.

Abstract

Background: Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes illnesses among all age groups and presents a burden to healthcare services. To better understand the epidemiology and seasonality of RSV in different geographical areas, the World Health Organization (WHO) coordinated a pilot initiative to access the feasibility of establishing RSV surveillance using the existing Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) platform.

Objectives: To describe and compare RSV and influenza seasonality in countries in the northern andsouthern temperate, and tropics during the period January 2017 to April 2019.

Methods: Fourteen countries in six WHO regions participating in the GISRS were invited for the pilot. Hospitalized patients presenting with severe acute respiratory illness (SARI), SARI without fever and outpatients presenting with acute respiratory illness (ARI) were enrolled from January 2017 to April 2019. The expected minimum sample size was 20 samples per week, year-round, per country. Real-time RT-PCR was used to detect RSV and influenza viruses. Results were uploaded to the WHO FluMart platform.

Results: Annual seasonality of RSV was observed in all countries, which overlapped to a large extent with the influenza activity. In countries, in temperate regions RSV peaked in the autumn/winter months. In Egypt, a subtropical country, RSV activity peaked in the cooler season. In the tropical regions, RSV peaked during the rainy seasons.

Conclusion: Early findings from the WHO RSV surveillance pilot based on the GISRS suggest annual seasonal patterns for of RSV circulation that overlap with influenza. RSV surveillance needs to be continued for several more seasons to establish seasonality patterns to inform prevention and control strategies.

Keywords: Global Influenza Surveillance and Response network; human respiratory syncytial virus; influenza; seasonality.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Countries participating in the WHO RSV surveillance
Figure 2
Figure 2
A, RSV and influenza seasonality of countries with temperate climate located in the southern hemisphere. B, RSV and influenza seasonality of countries with temperate climate located in the Northern hemisphere. C, RSV and influenza seasonality of countries with subtropical/tropical climate
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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