Abstract
The Rhône-Loire metropolitan areas’ 2020/21 respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) epidemic was delayed following the implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI), compared with previous seasons. Very severe lower respiratory tract infection incidence among infants ≤ 3 months decreased twofold, the proportion of cases among children aged > 3 months to 5 years increased, and cases among adults > 65 years were markedly reduced. NPI appeared to reduce the RSV burden among at-risk groups, and should be promoted to minimise impact of future RSV outbreaks.
Highlights
Jean-Sebastien Casalegno1,2,3,4, Dominique Ploin3,5, Aymeric Cantais6,7, Elsa Masson4,5, Emilie Bard4,5, Martine Valette1,2,3, Remi Fanget1,2,3, Sandrine Couray Targe8, Anne-Florence Myar-Dury8, Muriel Doret-Dion4,9, Mona Massoud9, Gregory Queromes3,4, Philippe Vanhems4,10,11, Olivier Claris4,12, Marine Butin4,13, Sylvie Pillet7,14, Florence Ader4,15, Sylvie Bin13, Alexandre Gaymard1,2,3,4, Bruno Lina1,2,3,4, Florence Morfin1,2,3,4, VRS study group in Lyon16, Etienne Javouhey4,5, Yves Gillet4,5 1
We describe a delayed 2020/21 respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) season with atypical features such as a reduced incidence of very severe lower respiratory tract infection (VS-LRTI) among infants aged 3 months or less, a sharp reduction in the number of cases aged over 65 years, and in contrast, an increased proportion of cases detected among children aged over 3 months and up to 5-years, and a relative increase in the number of VS-LRTI cases among infants between 3 months and up to 1 year of age
Our study presents many strengths related to the sample size considered, the combined use of data from two centres, and the use of a birth cohort focusing on hospitalised VS-LRTI cases, providing confidence that the testing strategy was unlikely to have affected our results [5]
Summary
Jean-Sebastien Casalegno1,2,3,4 , Dominique Ploin3,5 , Aymeric Cantais6,7 , Elsa Masson4,5 , Emilie Bard4,5 , Martine Valette1,2,3 , Remi Fanget1,2,3 , Sandrine Couray Targe , Anne-Florence Myar-Dury , Muriel Doret-Dion4,9 , Mona Massoud , Gregory Queromes3,4 , Philippe Vanhems4,10,11 , Olivier Claris4,12 , Marine Butin4,13 , Sylvie Pillet7,14 , Florence Ader4,15 , Sylvie Bin , Alexandre Gaymard1,2,3,4 , Bruno Lina1,2,3,4 , Florence Morfin1,2,3,4 , VRS study group in Lyon , Etienne Javouhey4,5 , Yves Gillet . The emergence of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has triggered a wide-scale implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) including physical distancing, school closures, travel restrictions, and the use of masks in public spaces [1] These preventive public health measures have impacted the circulation of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as demonstrated by inter-seasonal RSV epidemics in several southern hemisphere countries [2,3,4] and late-season RSV outbreaks in several European countries [5,6,7]. We describe the age characteristics and the very severe lower respiratory tract infection (VS-LRTI) incidence of this late RSV epidemic in the Rhône-Loire metropolitan areas in France. All respiratory samples (nasopharyngeal aspirates, nasal/ throat/oral swabs, tracheobronchial aspirates, and bronchoalveolar lavages) taken from patients with respiratory tract infection (upper or lower/mild or severe) and received by the virology laboratories from in- and outpatients were tested for RSV and included in our analysis
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