Published: 01 February 2023
Namrata Prasad, PhD, Julia Rhodes, PhD, Li Deng, PhD, Natalie Mccarthy, MPH, Heidi L Moline, MD, James Baggs, PhD, Sujan C Reddy, MD, John A Jernigan, MD, Fiona P Havers, MD, Daniel Sosin, MD ... Show more
Abstract
Background
Descriptions of changes in invasive bacterial disease (IBD) epidemiology during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States are limited.
Methods
We investigated changes in the incidence of IBD due to Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, group A Streptococcus (GAS), and group B Streptococcus (GBS). We defined the COVID-19 pandemic period as March 1–December 31, 2020. We compared observed IBD incidences during the pandemic to expected incidences, consistent with January 2014–February 2020 trends. We conducted secondary analysis of a healthcare database to assess changes in testing by blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture during the pandemic.
Results
Compared with expected incidences, the observed incidences of IBD due to S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, GAS, and GBS were 58%, 60%, 28%, and 12% lower during the pandemic period of 2020, respectively. Declines from expected incidences corresponded closely with implementation of COVID-19-associated non-pharmaceutical-interventions (NPIs). Significant declines were observed across all age, race groups and surveillance sites for S pneumoniae and H influenzae. Blood and CSF culture testing rates during the pandemic were comparable to previous years.
Conclusions
NPIs likely contributed to the decline in IBD incidence in the United States in 2020; observed declines were unlikely to be driven by reductions in testing.
Namrata Prasad, PhD, Julia Rhodes, PhD, Li Deng, PhD, Natalie Mccarthy, MPH, Heidi L Moline, MD, James Baggs, PhD, Sujan C Reddy, MD, John A Jernigan, MD, Fiona P Havers, MD, Daniel Sosin, MD ... Show more
Abstract
Background
Descriptions of changes in invasive bacterial disease (IBD) epidemiology during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States are limited.
Methods
We investigated changes in the incidence of IBD due to Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, group A Streptococcus (GAS), and group B Streptococcus (GBS). We defined the COVID-19 pandemic period as March 1–December 31, 2020. We compared observed IBD incidences during the pandemic to expected incidences, consistent with January 2014–February 2020 trends. We conducted secondary analysis of a healthcare database to assess changes in testing by blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture during the pandemic.
Results
Compared with expected incidences, the observed incidences of IBD due to S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, GAS, and GBS were 58%, 60%, 28%, and 12% lower during the pandemic period of 2020, respectively. Declines from expected incidences corresponded closely with implementation of COVID-19-associated non-pharmaceutical-interventions (NPIs). Significant declines were observed across all age, race groups and surveillance sites for S pneumoniae and H influenzae. Blood and CSF culture testing rates during the pandemic were comparable to previous years.
Conclusions
NPIs likely contributed to the decline in IBD incidence in the United States in 2020; observed declines were unlikely to be driven by reductions in testing.