Comparative study on the incidence of non-COVID-19 viral pneumonia before and after the COVID-19 pandemic: A retrospective analysis based on respiratory non-COVID viral nucleic acid results

doi:10.1016/j.jointm.2024.02.005

. 2024 Apr 23;4(4):491-495.

doi: 10.1016/j.jointm.2024.02.005. eCollection 2024 Oct.

Comparative study on the incidence of non-COVID-19 viral pneumonia before and after the COVID-19 pandemic: A retrospective analysis based on respiratory non-COVID viral nucleic acid results

Xiaojiao Tan¹, Zheng Zhang¹, Huan Zhang¹, Jianbo Li¹, Xuewei Yang¹, Lijie Wang¹, Xuelian Liao^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Critical Care Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
² Department of Critical Care Medicine, West China Tianfu Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.

PMID: 39310063
PMCID: PMC11411423
DOI: 10.1016/j.jointm.2024.02.005

Comparative study on the incidence of non-COVID-19 viral pneumonia before and after the COVID-19 pandemic: A retrospective analysis based on respiratory non-COVID viral nucleic acid results

Xiaojiao Tan et al. J Intensive Med. 2024.

. 2024 Apr 23;4(4):491-495.

doi: 10.1016/j.jointm.2024.02.005. eCollection 2024 Oct.

Authors

Xiaojiao Tan¹, Zheng Zhang¹, Huan Zhang¹, Jianbo Li¹, Xuewei Yang¹, Lijie Wang¹, Xuelian Liao^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Critical Care Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
² Department of Critical Care Medicine, West China Tianfu Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.

PMID: 39310063
PMCID: PMC11411423
DOI: 10.1016/j.jointm.2024.02.005

Abstract

Background: The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the etiology of non-COVID-19 viral pneumonia remains to be identified. We investigated the evolution of non-COVID-19 viral pneumonia in hospitalized patients before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This is a single-center retrospective study. Patients who came to West China Hospital of Sichuan University diagnosed with non-COVID-19 viral pneumonia from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2021, were included and divided into pre- and post-COVID-19 groups according to the date of the COVID-19 outbreak in China. The results of 13 viral nucleic acid tests were compared between the two groups.

Results: A total of 5937 patients (3954 in the pre-COVID-19 group and 1983 in the post-COVID-19 group) were analyzed. Compared with the pre-COVID-19 group, the proportion of patients tested for respiratory non-COVID-19 viral nucleic acid was significantly increased in the post-COVID-19 group (14.78% vs. 22.79%, P <0.05). However, the non-COVID-19 virus-positive rates decreased from 37.9% to 14.6% after the COVID-19 outbreak (P < 0.001). Notably, non-COVID-19 viral pneumonia caused by the influenza A virus H1N1 (InfAH1N1) (2009) dropped to 0% after the pandemic. The top three viruses were InfAH1N1 (2009) (13.9%), human rhinovirus (7.4%), and human adenovirus (3.4%) in the pre-COVID-19 group, and human rhinovirus (3.8%), human respiratory syncytial virus (2.0%), human parainfluenza virus (1.1%) and InfAH3N2 (1.1%) in the post-COVID-19 group.

Conclusions: The proportion of non-COVID-19 viral pneumonia decreased significantly after the COVID-19 outbreak, among which InfAH1N1 (2009) pneumonia decreased the most dramatically.

Keywords: COVID-19; Influenza virus, H1N1; Virus nucleic acid.

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Figures

**Figure 1**
Research flowchart. COVID-19: Coronavirus disease-2019.

**Figure 2**
Positive virus screening of each virus before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Pre-COVID-19: from January 1, 2016, to December 8, 2019; post-COVID-19: from December 9, 2019, to December 31, 2021. Boca: Bocavirus; Ch: Chlamydia; COVID-19: Coronavirus disease-2019; HADV: Human adenovirus; HCOV: Human coronavirus; HMPV: Human metapneumovirus; HPIV: Human parainfluenza virus; HRSV: Human respiratory syncytial virus; HRV: Human rhinovirus; InfA: Influenza A virus; InfAH1N1: Influenza A virus H1N1; InfAH3N2: Seasonal influenza virus H3N2; InfB: Influenza B virus; MP: Mycoplasma pneumonia.

**Figure 3**
Positive Virus and Influenza virus A/B of screening changes by years and quarters. COVID-19: Coronavirus disease-2019; First quarter: January–March; Second quarter: April–June; Third quarter: July–September; Fourth quarter: October–December.

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[1] Zhu Y.G., Tang X.D., Lu Y.T., Zhang J., Qu J.M. Contemporary situation of community-acquired pneumonia in China: a systematic review. J Transl Int Med. 2018;6(1):26–31. doi: 10.2478/jtim-2018-0006. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[2] Zhu Y.G., Tang X.D., Lu Y.T., Zhang J., Qu J.M. Contemporary situation of community-acquired pneumonia in China: a systematic review. J Transl Int Med. 2018;6(1):26–31. doi: 10.2478/jtim-2018-0006. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[3] Jain S., Self W.H., Wunderink R.G., Fakhran S., Balk R., Bramley A.M., et al. Community-acquired pneumonia requiring hospitalization among US adults. N Engl J Med. 2015;373(5):415–427. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1500245. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[4] Jain S., Self W.H., Wunderink R.G., Fakhran S., Balk R., Bramley A.M., et al. Community-acquired pneumonia requiring hospitalization among US adults. N Engl J Med. 2015;373(5):415–427. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1500245. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[5] Karhu J., Ala-Kokko T.I., Vuorinen T., Ohtonen P., Syrjala H. Lower respiratory tract virus findings in mechanically ventilated patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia. Clin Infect Dis. 2014;59(1):62–70. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciu237. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[6] Karhu J., Ala-Kokko T.I., Vuorinen T., Ohtonen P., Syrjala H. Lower respiratory tract virus findings in mechanically ventilated patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia. Clin Infect Dis. 2014;59(1):62–70. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciu237. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[7] Krammer F., Smith G.J.D., Fouchier R.A.M., Peiris M., Kedzierska K., Doherty P.C., et al. Influenza. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2018;4:3. doi: 10.1038/s41572-018-0002-y. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[8] Krammer F., Smith G.J.D., Fouchier R.A.M., Peiris M., Kedzierska K., Doherty P.C., et al. Influenza. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2018;4:3. doi: 10.1038/s41572-018-0002-y. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[9] Varela F.H., Scotta M.C., Polese-Bonatto M., Sartor I.T.S., Ferreira C.F., Fernandes I.R., et al. Absence of detection of RSV and influenza during the COVID-19 pandemic in a Brazilian cohort: likely role of lower transmission in the community. J Glob Health. 2021;11:05007. doi: 10.7189/jogh.11.05007. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[10] Varela F.H., Scotta M.C., Polese-Bonatto M., Sartor I.T.S., Ferreira C.F., Fernandes I.R., et al. Absence of detection of RSV and influenza during the COVID-19 pandemic in a Brazilian cohort: likely role of lower transmission in the community. J Glob Health. 2021;11:05007. doi: 10.7189/jogh.11.05007. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

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Comparative study on the incidence of non-COVID-19 viral pneumonia before and after the COVID-19 pandemic: A retrospective analysis based on respiratory non-COVID viral nucleic acid results

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Comparative study on the incidence of non-COVID-19 viral pneumonia before and after the COVID-19 pandemic: A retrospective analysis based on respiratory non-COVID viral nucleic acid results

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