Preprint Brief Report Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza Virus Coinfections in the Tuscan Population during the 2021/2022 Influenza Season

Giovanna Milano
ORCID logo ,
Serena Marchi
ORCID logo ,
Ilaria Vicenti
ORCID logo ,
Camilla Biba
,
Lia Fiaschi
ORCID logo ,
Claudia Maria Trombetta
ORCID logo ,
Giacomo Lazzeri
ORCID logo ,
Emanuele Montomoli
ORCID logo ,
Ilaria Manini
* ORCID logo
Version 1 : Received: 14 November 2023 / Approved: 15 November 2023 / Online: 15 November 2023 (15:49:46 CET)

How to cite: Milano, G.; Marchi, S.; Vicenti, I.; Biba, C.; Fiaschi, L.; Trombetta, C.M.; Lazzeri, G.; Montomoli, E.; Manini, I. SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza Virus Coinfections in the Tuscan Population during the 2021/2022 Influenza Season. Preprints 2023, 2023111033. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202311.1033.v1 Milano, G.; Marchi, S.; Vicenti, I.; Biba, C.; Fiaschi, L.; Trombetta, C.M.; Lazzeri, G.; Montomoli, E.; Manini, I. SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza Virus Coinfections in the Tuscan Population during the 2021/2022 Influenza Season. Preprints 2023, 2023111033. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202311.1033.v1

Abstract

The 2021/2022 influenza season was not characterised by a well-defined incidence peak. A high value of incidence was recorded in week 13, but it was still lower than in other influenza seasons. This abnormal circulation was probably due to relaxation of the COVID-19 pandemic restriction measures, which greatly reduced the circulation of respiratory-transmitted viruses, including human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV). The symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza are quite similar, sharing the human-to-human transmission route via respiratory droplets. The aim of this study was to estimate the rate of coinfection with influenza viruses and/or HRSV in SARS-CoV-2-positive subjects (N=940) in a population of central Italy during the 2021/2022 season. A total of 54 cases of coinfection were detected during the study period, 51 cases (5.4%) of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus and three cases (0.3%) of SARS-CoV-2 and HRSV coinfection. These results highlight the importance of continuous monitoring of the circulation of influenza virus and other respiratory viruses in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords

coinfection; population; respiratory viruses.

Subject

Public Health and Healthcare, Primary Health Care

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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