Emerging and Re-emerging Respiratory Viruses

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Virology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2024) | Viewed by 2901

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Section of Microbiology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Interests: respiratory viral infection, antiviral, vaccine
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Infectious diseases are still the main cause of human morbidity and mortality, leading to outbreaks and epidemics. In the last century, influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, and the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus were the most damaging respiratory infections for humans worldwide. These emerging viral respiratory infections derived from the animal world. Emerging viruses, particularly RNA viruses, can adapt to the rapidly changing global and local environments due to the high error rate of their polymerases. Mutations in the genetic material of RNA viruses accumulate in years and produce new strains of the viruses with new antigenic properties resulting in transmission in humans. The probability of pandemics with new viruses would be high in the future as this type of mutation will reoccur. This Special Issue of Microorganisms seeks to attract original research and review articles focused on (1) the development of diagnostic tests for the early detection of human respiratory viruses; (2) findings on the epidemiology and transmission of human respiratory viruses; (3) the development of new vaccines, antivirals, immunotherapeutics, and/or drug repositioning for respiratory viruses; and (4) virus/host interaction.

Dr. Antonella Bugatti
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • antiviral
  • vaccine
  • respiratory viral infection
  • inhibitors
  • SARS-CoV-2

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 934 KiB  
Article
Contribution of Other Respiratory Viruses During Influenza Epidemic Activity in Catalonia, Spain, 2008–2020
by Nuria Torner, N. Soldevila, L. Basile, M. M. Mosquera, P. de Molina, M. A. Marcos, A. Martínez, M. Jané, A. Domínguez and The Working Group for the Catalan Influenza and Acute Respiratory Infection Sentinel Surveillance Network (PIDIRAC)
Microorganisms 2024, 12(11), 2200; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12112200 - 31 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 943
Abstract
Background: During seasonal influenza activity, circulation of other respiratory viruses (ORVs) may contribute to the increased disease burden that is attributed to influenza without laboratory confirmation. The objective of this study was to characterize and evaluate the magnitude of this contribution over 12 [...] Read more.
Background: During seasonal influenza activity, circulation of other respiratory viruses (ORVs) may contribute to the increased disease burden that is attributed to influenza without laboratory confirmation. The objective of this study was to characterize and evaluate the magnitude of this contribution over 12 seasons of influenza using the Acute Respiratory Infection Sentinel Surveillance system in Catalonia (PIDIRAC). Methods: A retrospective descriptive study of isolations from respiratory samples obtained by the sentinel surveillance network of physicians was carried out from 2008 to 2020 in Catalonia, Spain. Information was collected on demographic variables (age, sex), influenza vaccination status, epidemic activity weeks each season, and influenza laboratory confirmation. Results: A total of 12,690 samples were collected, with 46% (5831) collected during peak influenza seasonal epidemic activity. In total, 49.6% of the sampled participants were male and 51.1% were aged <15 years. Of these, 73.7% (4298) of samples were positive for at least one respiratory virus; 79.7% (3425 samples) were positive for the influenza virus (IV), with 3067 samples positive for one IV type, 8 samples showing coinfection with two types of IV, and 350 showing coinfection of IV with more than one virus. The distribution of influenza viruses was 64.2% IVA, 35.2% IVB, and 0.1% IVC. Of the other respiratory viruses identified, there was a high proportion of human rhinovirus (32.3%), followed by human adenovirus (24.3%) and respiratory syncytial virus (18; 7%). Four percent were coinfected with two or more viruses other than influenza. The distribution of coinfections with ORVs and influenza by age groups presents a significant difference in proportions for 0–4, 5–14, 15–64 and >64 (21.5%, 10.8%, 8.2% and 7.6%: p < 0.001). A lower ORVs coinfection ratio was observed in the influenza-vaccinated population (11.9% vs. 17.4% OR: 0.64 IC 95% 0.36–1.14). Conclusions: During the weeks of seasonal influenza epidemic activity, other respiratory viruses contribute substantially, either individually or through the coinfection of two or more viruses, to the morbidity attributed to influenza viruses as influenza-like illness (ILI). The contribution of these viruses is especially significant in the pediatric and elderly population. Identifying the epidemiology of most clinically relevant respiratory viruses will aid the development of models of infection and allow for the development of targeted treatments, particularly for populations most vulnerable to respiratory viruses-induced diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging and Re-emerging Respiratory Viruses)
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16 pages, 4753 KiB  
Article
Genetic Diversity of Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus during COVID-19 Pandemic in Yaoundé, Cameroon, 2020–2021
by Moïse Henri Moumbeket Yifomnjou, Gwladys Chavely Monamele, Abdou Fatawou Modiyinji, Mohamadou Njankouo-Ripa, Boyomo Onana and Richard Njouom
Microorganisms 2024, 12(5), 952; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12050952 - 8 May 2024
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Abstract
Worldwide, human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is a major cause of severe infections of the lower respiratory system, affecting individuals of all ages. This study investigated the genetic variability of HRSV during the COVID-19 outbreak in Yaoundé; nasopharyngeal samples positive for HRSV were [...] Read more.
Worldwide, human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is a major cause of severe infections of the lower respiratory system, affecting individuals of all ages. This study investigated the genetic variability of HRSV during the COVID-19 outbreak in Yaoundé; nasopharyngeal samples positive for HRSV were collected from different age groups between July 2020 and October 2021. A semi-nested RT-PCR was performed on the second hypervariable region of the G gene of detected HRSV, followed by sequencing and phylogenetic assessment. Throughout the study, 40 (37.7%) of the 106 HRSV-positive samples successfully underwent G-gene amplification. HRSV A and HRSV B co-circulated at rates of 47.5% and 52.5%, respectively. HRSV A clustered in the GA2.3.5 genetic lineage (ON1) and HRSV B clustered in the GB5.0.5a genetic lineage (BA9). Differences in circulating genotypes were observed between pre- and post-pandemic years for HRSV A. Predictions revealed potential N-glycosylation sites at positions 237-318 of HRSV A and positions 228-232-294 of HRSV B. This study reports the molecular epidemiology of HRSV in Cameroon during the COVID-19 pandemic. It describes the exclusive co-circulation of two genetic lineages. These findings highlight the importance of implementing comprehensive molecular surveillance to prevent the unexpected emergence of other diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging and Re-emerging Respiratory Viruses)
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