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Ital J Pediatr
. 2023 Sep 13;49(1):121.
doi: 10.1186/s13052-023-01519-3. Influenza viruses circulation in a tertiary care children hospital in Rome: a comparison between 2022 and the previous 5 years
Stefania Ranno 1 , Luana Coltella 2 , Giulia Linardos 1 , Velia Chiara Di Maio 1 , Luna Colagrossi 1 , Leonarda Gentile 1 , Eugenia Galeno 1 , Marta Luisa Ciofi Degli Atti 3 , Sebastian Cristaldi 4 , Alberto Villani 4 , Massimiliano Raponi 5 , Carlo Federico Perno 1 , Cristina Russo 1
Affiliations
Background: Influenza surveillance aims to determine onset, duration and intensity of the seasonal Influence-like Illness (ILI); data collection begins in the week 42 of a year and ends in the week 17 of the following year. In this observational study, we report the experience of a tertiary care children hospital in Rome about Influenza viruses circulation during the calendar year 2022 (January-December) in comparison with the previous five years (2017-2021), with a special focus on the weeks 18-41, usually not under surveillance.
Methods: This retrospective study involved 36782 respiratory samples referred to 21354 patients (pts), median age 2.63 years, admitted with respiratory symptoms at Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital in the years 2017-2022. Respiratory viruses were detected by molecular Allplex™ Respiratory Panel Assays (Seegene, Korea).
Results: Regarding the pre pandemic years, 2017-2019, distribution of Flu positive patients focused in the first weeks of the year (weeks 1-17). During the pandemic period, Flu was not detected. In 2022, 239 Flu viruses were identified: 37 FluA (weeks 1-17), 29 FluA (weeks 18-41) and 168 FluA and 5 FluB (weeks 42-52). For the year 2022, during the non-epidemic period, the number of Flu viruses detected corresponded to 12.1% of total Flu detected, respect to 0-1.7% for the previous five years (p < 0.001).
Conclusions: When compared with pre SARS-CoV-2 pandemic years, our data show a significant increase in Influenza cases during weeks 18-41/2022 and reveal an unexpected summer circulation of these viruses: just weeks 26-30 showed to be influenza virus free. A national year-round Flu surveillance could be useful to understand if changing in influenza epidemiology is transitional or likely to persist in the following years.
Keywords: Influenza; Influenza-like Illness; Out-of-season circulation; Pediatric; Seasonality; Year-round surveillance.
. 2023 Sep 13;49(1):121.
doi: 10.1186/s13052-023-01519-3. Influenza viruses circulation in a tertiary care children hospital in Rome: a comparison between 2022 and the previous 5 years
Stefania Ranno 1 , Luana Coltella 2 , Giulia Linardos 1 , Velia Chiara Di Maio 1 , Luna Colagrossi 1 , Leonarda Gentile 1 , Eugenia Galeno 1 , Marta Luisa Ciofi Degli Atti 3 , Sebastian Cristaldi 4 , Alberto Villani 4 , Massimiliano Raponi 5 , Carlo Federico Perno 1 , Cristina Russo 1
Affiliations
- PMID: 37705032
- PMCID: PMC10500714
- DOI: 10.1186/s13052-023-01519-3
Background: Influenza surveillance aims to determine onset, duration and intensity of the seasonal Influence-like Illness (ILI); data collection begins in the week 42 of a year and ends in the week 17 of the following year. In this observational study, we report the experience of a tertiary care children hospital in Rome about Influenza viruses circulation during the calendar year 2022 (January-December) in comparison with the previous five years (2017-2021), with a special focus on the weeks 18-41, usually not under surveillance.
Methods: This retrospective study involved 36782 respiratory samples referred to 21354 patients (pts), median age 2.63 years, admitted with respiratory symptoms at Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital in the years 2017-2022. Respiratory viruses were detected by molecular Allplex™ Respiratory Panel Assays (Seegene, Korea).
Results: Regarding the pre pandemic years, 2017-2019, distribution of Flu positive patients focused in the first weeks of the year (weeks 1-17). During the pandemic period, Flu was not detected. In 2022, 239 Flu viruses were identified: 37 FluA (weeks 1-17), 29 FluA (weeks 18-41) and 168 FluA and 5 FluB (weeks 42-52). For the year 2022, during the non-epidemic period, the number of Flu viruses detected corresponded to 12.1% of total Flu detected, respect to 0-1.7% for the previous five years (p < 0.001).
Conclusions: When compared with pre SARS-CoV-2 pandemic years, our data show a significant increase in Influenza cases during weeks 18-41/2022 and reveal an unexpected summer circulation of these viruses: just weeks 26-30 showed to be influenza virus free. A national year-round Flu surveillance could be useful to understand if changing in influenza epidemiology is transitional or likely to persist in the following years.
Keywords: Influenza; Influenza-like Illness; Out-of-season circulation; Pediatric; Seasonality; Year-round surveillance.