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. 2024;84(1):102-107.

Characteristics of endemic human coronavirus infections during times of COVID-19 pandemic

Eric E Crocci  1 , Delfina Schreiner  1 , Emilia A García  1 , Esteban C Nannini  1   2   3 , Manuela Cobos  1 , Paula Doubik  1 , Juan P Balbuena  1 , Agustin Romandetta  1 , Bettina Cooke  1 , María F Alzogaray  1 , Elsa Baumeister  4 , Analia Mykietiuk  5
Affiliations
  • PMID: 38271937
Free article

Characteristics of endemic human coronavirus infections during times of COVID-19 pandemic

Eric E Crocci et al. Medicina (B Aires). 2024.
Free article

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Introduction: After the implementation of mitigation strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic, the incidence of respiratory viruses, including human coronaviruses (HCoV), experienced a significant decrease. The aim of this study is to characterize the epidemiology and clinical aspects of HCoV infections in ambulatory adults during COVID-19 pandemic times.

Methods: descriptive, prospective, longitudinal study performed in a private hospital in La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina between November 2020 and October 2022; 458 outpatient adults with upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) were studied undergoing clinical and microbiological follow-up.

Results: 44 (9.6%) subjects were positive by multiplex PCR for HCoV. 14 of them for 229E (31.8%), 13 for OC43 (29.5%), 11 for HKU-1 (25.1%) and 6 for NL63 (13.6%). A repeated PCR was positive for the same HCoV in 19 (57%) of 33 patients on day 3-5. No hospitalizations or deaths were reported.

Discussion: Endemic HCoV caused a significant proportion of URTI among outpatient adults during COVID-19-related restrictions times. An alternating pattern of circulation between alfa-HCoV and beta-HCoV was observed.

Introducción: Tras la implementación de estrategias de mitigación durante la pandemia de COVID-19, la incidencia de virus respiratorios, incluyendo los coronavirus humanos (HCoV), disminuyó significativamente. El objetivo de este estudio es caracterizar la epidemiología y los aspectos clínicos de las infecciones por HCoV en adultos ambulatorios durante la pandemia de COVID-19. Métodos: estudio descriptivo, prospectivo, longitudinal, realizado en un hospital privado de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina, entre noviembre de 2020 y octubre de 2022. Se estudiaron 458 pacientes adultos ambulatorios con infecciones del tracto respiratorio superior (ITRS) bajo seguimiento clínico y microbiológico. Resultados: 44 (9.6%) sujetos fueron positivos por PCR multiplex para HCoV. Se detectaron 14 229E (31.8%), 13 OC43 (29.5%), 11 HKU-1 (25.1%) y 6 NL63 (13.6%). Una segunda PCR fue positiva para el mismo HCoV en 19 (57 %) de 33 pacientes en los días 3-5. No se reportaron hospitalizaciones ni muertes. Discusión: los HCoV endémicos causaron una proporción significativa de ITRS entre pacientes adultos ambulatorios durante los tiempos de restricciones relacionados con COVID-19. Se observó un patrón alternante de circulación entre alfa-HCoV y beta-HCoV.

Keywords: Betacoronavirus; COVID-19 pandemic Alphacoronavirus; human coronaviruses; respiratory tract infections.

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