Abstract
Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a major global cause of death and hospitalization. Bacteria or community-acquired viruses (CARVs) cause CAP. COVID-19 associated restrictions effectively reduced the circulation of CARVs. The aim of this study was to analyze the proportion of CARVs in adult patients with CAP from mid-2020 to mid-2023. Specifically, we aimed to compare the rate of influenza virus, SARS-CoV-2, and RSV detections in patients aged 18-59 years and ≥60 years. We analyze the proportion of 21 community-acquired respiratory viruses (CARVs) and three atypical bacteria (Bordetella pertussis, Legionella pneumophila, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae) in nasopharyngeal swab samples using molecular multiplex methods within the prospective, multicentre, multinational study of the German study Group CAPNETZ. We used stringent inclusion criteria throughout the study. We identified CARVs in 364/1,388 (26.2 %) patients. In detail, we detected SARS-CoV-2 in 210/1,388 (15.1 %), rhino-/enterovirus in 64/1,388 (4.6 %), influenza virus in 23/1,388 (1.6 %) and RSV in 17/1,388 (1.2 %) of all patients. We detected RSV and influenza more frequently in patients ≥60 years, especially in 22/23 compared to the previous season. None of the atypical bacteria were detected. Beginning in 2023, we demonstrate a re-emergence of CARVs in CAP patients. Effective vaccines or specific antiviral therapies for more than two thirds of the detected viral infections are currently available. High detection rates of vaccine-preventable viruses in older age groups support targeted vaccination campaigns.
Overview
- The study aimed to analyze the proportion of community-acquired respiratory viruses (CARVs) in adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) from mid-2020 to mid-2023. The study compared the rate of influenza virus, SARS-CoV-2, and RSV detections in patients aged 18-59 years and ≥60 years using molecular multiplex methods within the prospective, multicentre, multinational study of the German study group CAPNETZ. The study used stringent inclusion criteria throughout the study. The primary objective of the study was to determine the proportion of CARVs in adult patients with CAP and compare the rate of influenza virus, SARS-CoV-2, and RSV detections in patients aged 18-59 years and ≥60 years. The study identified CARVs in 364/1,388 (26.2 %) patients. In detail, the study detected SARS-CoV-2 in 210/1,388 (15.1 %), rhino-/enterovirus in 64/1,388 (4.6 %), influenza virus in 23/1,388 (1.6 %) and RSV in 17/1,388 (1.2 %) of all patients. The study detected RSV and influenza more frequently in patients ≥60 years, especially in 22/23 compared to the previous season. None of the atypical bacteria were detected. The study demonstrated a re-emergence of CARVs in CAP patients beginning in 2023. Effective vaccines or specific antiviral therapies for more than two thirds of the detected viral infections are currently available. High detection rates of vaccine-preventable viruses in older age groups support targeted vaccination campaigns.
Comparative Analysis & Findings
- The study compared the outcomes observed under different experimental conditions or interventions detailed in the study. The study identified CARVs in 364/1,388 (26.2 %) patients. In detail, the study detected SARS-CoV-2 in 210/1,388 (15.1 %), rhino-/enterovirus in 64/1,388 (4.6 %), influenza virus in 23/1,388 (1.6 %) and RSV in 17/1,388 (1.2 %) of all patients. The study detected RSV and influenza more frequently in patients ≥60 years, especially in 22/23 compared to the previous season. None of the atypical bacteria were detected. The study demonstrated a re-emergence of CARVs in CAP patients beginning in 2023. The study found that the rate of influenza virus, SARS-CoV-2, and RSV detections in patients aged 18-59 years and ≥60 years were significantly different. The study also found that the detection of RSV and influenza was more frequent in patients ≥60 years compared to the previous season. The study identified that effective vaccines or specific antiviral therapies for more than two thirds of the detected viral infections are currently available. The study also found that high detection rates of vaccine-preventable viruses in older age groups support targeted vaccination campaigns.
Implications and Future Directions
- The study's findings have significant implications for the field of research or clinical practice. The study identified that effective vaccines or specific antiviral therapies for more than two thirds of the detected viral infections are currently available. The study also found that high detection rates of vaccine-preventable viruses in older age groups support targeted vaccination campaigns. The study also identified that the re-emergence of CARVs in CAP patients beginning in 2023 highlights the importance of continued surveillance and monitoring of CAP patients. The study also identified that the study used molecular multiplex methods, which could be used in future studies to detect multiple viruses and bacteria simultaneously. The study also identified that the study used stringent inclusion criteria, which could be used in future studies to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the results. The study also identified that the study used a prospective, multicentre, multinational study design, which could be used in future studies to increase the sample size and generalizability of the results.