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. 2022 Sep;52(6):374-378.
doi: 10.1016/j.idnow.2022.06.003. Epub 2022 Jun 23.

Bronchiolitis epidemics in France during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: The 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 seasons

Sophie Vaux  1 , Delphine Viriot  2 , Cécile Forgeot  2 , Isabelle Pontais  2 , Yann Savitch  2 , Agnès Barondeau-Leuret  3 , Serge Smadja  4 , Martine Valette  5 , Vincent Enouf  6 , Isabelle Parent du Chatelet  2
Affiliations

Bronchiolitis epidemics in France during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: The 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 seasons

Sophie Vaux et al. Infect Dis Now. 2022 Sep.

Abstract

Objectives: We described bronchiolitis epidemics during the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 seasons in France and their interaction with the COVID outbreak.

Patients and methods: Data on family physician (FP) visits, emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations for bronchiolitis for children˂2 years, and hospital virological data were analyzed and compared with previous seasons (2015-2020).

Results: The 2020-2021 epidemic arrived very late, and its impact was lower than in previous seasons (2015-2020) (FP visits: -23%, ED visits: -38%, and hospitalizations: -30%). The 2021-2022 epidemic started early (week 40) and lasted for a relatively long time (13 weeks). The impact was higher than in 2015-2020 (FP visits: +13%, ED visits: +34%, hospitalizations: +28%).

Conclusion: Findings from the 2020-2021 epidemic may be linked to the implementation of non-pharmaceutical COVID-19 prevention measures. For 2021-2022, findings may be linked to an "immunity debt" resulting from the lower impact of the previous season.

Keywords: Bronchiolitis; COVID-19; Epidemic; France; RSV.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Emergency department (ED) visits for acute bronchiolitis, children under two years of age (619 hospitals), mainland France, 2015–2022.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Hospitalization for acute bronchiolitis in France, children under two years of age (619 hospitals), mainland France, 2015–2022.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Percentage of hospital (Renal Laboratory Network) positive tests for respiratory syncytial virus, all ages, percentage of FP visits for bronchiolitis (SOS Médecins), COVID-19 hospitalizations in children under 2 years of age, and lockdown period, France, Week 38/2019 – week 06/2022.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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