Circulation of respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]
Background: In many countries, non-pharmaceutical interventions to limit severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission resulted in significant reductions in other respiratory viruses. However, similar data from Africa are limited. We explored the extent to which viruses s...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
F1000 Research Ltd
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Gates Open Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://gatesopenresearch.org/articles/6-148/v2 |
| _version_ | 1797904596787527680 |
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| author | Sheikh Jarju Helen Brotherton Elina Senghore Samba Jallow Alasana Saidykhan Edrisa Sinjanka Beate Kampmann Edrissa Krubally Fabakary Bajo Morris Ngor Ndene Binta Saidy Musa M Sanyang Nuredin I Mohammed Alasana Bah Ed Clarke Karen Forrest Abdul K Sesay Umberto Dalessandro Carla Cerami Effua Usuf Thushan I de Silva Anna Roca |
| author_facet | Sheikh Jarju Helen Brotherton Elina Senghore Samba Jallow Alasana Saidykhan Edrisa Sinjanka Beate Kampmann Edrissa Krubally Fabakary Bajo Morris Ngor Ndene Binta Saidy Musa M Sanyang Nuredin I Mohammed Alasana Bah Ed Clarke Karen Forrest Abdul K Sesay Umberto Dalessandro Carla Cerami Effua Usuf Thushan I de Silva Anna Roca |
| author_sort | Sheikh Jarju |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: In many countries, non-pharmaceutical interventions to limit severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission resulted in significant reductions in other respiratory viruses. However, similar data from Africa are limited. We explored the extent to which viruses such as influenza and rhinovirus co-circulated with SARS-CoV-2 in The Gambia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Between April 2020 and March 2022, respiratory viruses were detected using RT-PCR in nasopharyngeal swabs from 1397 participants with influenza-like illness. An assay to detect SARS-CoV-2 and a viral multiplex RT-PCR assay was used as previously described to detect influenza A and B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) A and B, parainfluenza viruses 1-4, human metapneumovirus (HMPV), adenovirus, seasonal coronaviruses (229E, OC43, NL63) and human rhinovirus. Results: Overall virus positivity was 44.2%, with prevalence higher in children <5 years (80%) compared to children aged 5-17 years (53.1%), adults aged 18-50 (39.5%) and >50 years (39.9%), p<0.0001. After SARS-CoV-2 (18.3%), rhinoviruses (10.5%) and influenza viruses (5.5%) were the most prevalent. SARS-CoV-2 positivity was lower in children <5 (4.3%) and 5-17 years (12.7%) than in adults aged 18-50 (19.3%) and >50 years (24.3%), p<0.0001. In contrast, rhinoviruses were most prevalent in children <5 years (28.7%), followed by children aged 5-17 (15.8%), adults aged 18-50 (8.3%) and >50 years (6.3%), p<0.0001. Four SARS-CoV-2 waves occurred, with 36.1%-52.4% SARS-CoV-2 positivity during peak months. Influenza infections were observed in both 2020 and 2021 during the rainy season as expected (peak positivity 16.4%-23.5%). Peaks of rhinovirus were asynchronous to the months when SARS-CoV-2 and influenza peaked. Conclusion: Our data show that many respiratory viruses continued to circulate during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia, including human rhinoviruses, despite the presence of NPIs during the early stages of the pandemic, and influenza peaks during expected months. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T09:51:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-da4f5eb97b0c45b096812b274d47d9e2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2572-4754 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T09:51:29Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | F1000 Research Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Gates Open Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-da4f5eb97b0c45b096812b274d47d9e22023-02-17T01:00:00ZengF1000 Research LtdGates Open Research2572-47542023-02-01615782Circulation of respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]Sheikh Jarju0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2621-8406Helen Brotherton1Elina Senghore2Samba Jallow3Alasana Saidykhan4Edrisa Sinjanka5Beate Kampmann6Edrissa Krubally7Fabakary Bajo8Morris Ngor Ndene9Binta Saidy10Musa M Sanyang11Nuredin I Mohammed12Alasana Bah13https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4489-4627Ed Clarke14Karen Forrest15https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9484-0830Abdul K Sesay16Umberto Dalessandro17Carla Cerami18Effua Usuf19Thushan I de Silva20Anna Roca21Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The GambiaMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The GambiaMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The GambiaMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The GambiaMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The GambiaMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The GambiaMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The GambiaMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The GambiaMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The GambiaMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The GambiaMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The GambiaMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The GambiaMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The GambiaMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The GambiaMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The GambiaMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The GambiaMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The GambiaMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The GambiaMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The GambiaMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The GambiaMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The GambiaMedical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The GambiaBackground: In many countries, non-pharmaceutical interventions to limit severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission resulted in significant reductions in other respiratory viruses. However, similar data from Africa are limited. We explored the extent to which viruses such as influenza and rhinovirus co-circulated with SARS-CoV-2 in The Gambia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Between April 2020 and March 2022, respiratory viruses were detected using RT-PCR in nasopharyngeal swabs from 1397 participants with influenza-like illness. An assay to detect SARS-CoV-2 and a viral multiplex RT-PCR assay was used as previously described to detect influenza A and B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) A and B, parainfluenza viruses 1-4, human metapneumovirus (HMPV), adenovirus, seasonal coronaviruses (229E, OC43, NL63) and human rhinovirus. Results: Overall virus positivity was 44.2%, with prevalence higher in children <5 years (80%) compared to children aged 5-17 years (53.1%), adults aged 18-50 (39.5%) and >50 years (39.9%), p<0.0001. After SARS-CoV-2 (18.3%), rhinoviruses (10.5%) and influenza viruses (5.5%) were the most prevalent. SARS-CoV-2 positivity was lower in children <5 (4.3%) and 5-17 years (12.7%) than in adults aged 18-50 (19.3%) and >50 years (24.3%), p<0.0001. In contrast, rhinoviruses were most prevalent in children <5 years (28.7%), followed by children aged 5-17 (15.8%), adults aged 18-50 (8.3%) and >50 years (6.3%), p<0.0001. Four SARS-CoV-2 waves occurred, with 36.1%-52.4% SARS-CoV-2 positivity during peak months. Influenza infections were observed in both 2020 and 2021 during the rainy season as expected (peak positivity 16.4%-23.5%). Peaks of rhinovirus were asynchronous to the months when SARS-CoV-2 and influenza peaked. Conclusion: Our data show that many respiratory viruses continued to circulate during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia, including human rhinoviruses, despite the presence of NPIs during the early stages of the pandemic, and influenza peaks during expected months.https://gatesopenresearch.org/articles/6-148/v2SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viruses surveillance Influenza like illnesseng |
| spellingShingle | Sheikh Jarju Helen Brotherton Elina Senghore Samba Jallow Alasana Saidykhan Edrisa Sinjanka Beate Kampmann Edrissa Krubally Fabakary Bajo Morris Ngor Ndene Binta Saidy Musa M Sanyang Nuredin I Mohammed Alasana Bah Ed Clarke Karen Forrest Abdul K Sesay Umberto Dalessandro Carla Cerami Effua Usuf Thushan I de Silva Anna Roca Circulation of respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] Gates Open Research SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viruses surveillance Influenza like illness eng |
| title | Circulation of respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_full | Circulation of respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_fullStr | Circulation of respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_full_unstemmed | Circulation of respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_short | Circulation of respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_sort | circulation of respiratory viruses during the covid 19 pandemic in the gambia version 2 peer review 2 approved |
| topic | SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viruses surveillance Influenza like illness eng |
| url | https://gatesopenresearch.org/articles/6-148/v2 |
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