|
1
|
Jarju S, Senghore E, Brotherton H, Affleck L, Saidykhan A, Jallow S, Krubally E, Sinjanka E, Ndene MN, Bajo F, Sanyang MM, Saidy B, Bah A, Mohammed NI, Forrest K, Clarke E, Dalessandro U, Sesay AK, Usuf E, Cerami C, Roca A, Kampmann B, de Silva TI. Circulation of respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia. Gates Open Res 2023; 6:148. [PMID: 36726685 PMCID: PMC9883272 DOI: 10.12688/gatesopenres.14155.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: In many countries, non-pharmaceutical interventions to limit severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission resulted in significant reductions in other respiratory viruses. However, similar data from Africa are limited. We explored the extent to which viruses such as influenza and rhinovirus co-circulated with SARS-CoV-2 in The Gambia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Between April 2020 and March 2022, respiratory viruses were detected using RT-PCR in nasopharyngeal swabs from 1397 participants with influenza-like illness. An assay to detect SARS-CoV-2 and a viral multiplex RT-PCR assay was used as previously described to detect influenza A and B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) A and B, parainfluenza viruses 1-4, human metapneumovirus (HMPV), adenovirus, seasonal coronaviruses (229E, OC43, NL63) and human rhinovirus. Results: Overall virus positivity was 44.2%, with prevalence higher in children <5 years (80%) compared to children aged 5-17 years (53.1%), adults aged 18-50 (39.5%) and >50 years (39.9%), p<0.0001. After SARS-CoV-2 (18.3%), rhinoviruses (10.5%) and influenza viruses (5.5%) were the most prevalent. SARS-CoV-2 positivity was lower in children <5 (4.3%) and 5-17 years (12.7%) than in adults aged 18-50 (19.3%) and >50 years (24.3%), p<0.0001. In contrast, rhinoviruses were most prevalent in children <5 years (28.7%), followed by children aged 5-17 (15.8%), adults aged 18-50 (8.3%) and >50 years (6.3%), p<0.0001. Four SARS-CoV-2 waves occurred, with 36.1%-52.4% SARS-CoV-2 positivity during peak months. Influenza infections were observed in both 2020 and 2021 during the rainy season as expected (peak positivity 16.4%-23.5%). Peaks of rhinovirus were asynchronous to the months when SARS-CoV-2 and influenza peaked. Conclusion: Our data show that many respiratory viruses continued to circulate during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia, including human rhinoviruses, despite the presence of NPIs during the early stages of the pandemic, and influenza peaks during expected months.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sheikh Jarju
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Elina Senghore
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Helen Brotherton
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Lucy Affleck
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Alasana Saidykhan
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Samba Jallow
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Ebrima Krubally
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Edrisa Sinjanka
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Morris Ngor Ndene
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Fabakary Bajo
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Musa M Sanyang
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Binta Saidy
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Alasana Bah
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Nuredin I Mohammed
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Karen Forrest
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Ed Clarke
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Umberto Dalessandro
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Abdul K Sesay
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Effua Usuf
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Carla Cerami
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Anna Roca
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Beate Kampmann
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
- The Vaccine Centre, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Thushan I de Silva
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
- The Vaccine Centre, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
- 4. Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, The Medical School, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield, S10 2RX, UK
| |
Collapse
|
|
2
|
Jarju S, Senghore E, Brotherton H, Affleck L, Saidykhan A, Jallow S, Krubally E, Sinjanka E, Ndene MN, Bajo F, Sanyang MM, Saidy B, Bah A, Mohammed NI, Forrest K, Clarke E, Dalessandro U, Sesay AK, Usuf E, Cerami C, Roca A, Kampmann B, de Silva TI. Circulation of respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia. Gates Open Res 2023; 6:148. [PMID: 36726685 PMCID: PMC9883272 DOI: 10.12688/gatesopenres.14155.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: In many countries, non-pharmaceutical interventions to limit severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission resulted in significant reductions in other respiratory viruses. However, similar data from Africa are limited. We explored the extent to which viruses such as influenza and rhinovirus co-circulated with SARS-CoV-2 in The Gambia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Between April 2020 and March 2022, respiratory viruses were detected using RT-PCR in nasopharyngeal swabs from 1397 participants with influenza-like illness. An assay to detect SARS-CoV-2 and a viral multiplex RT-PCR assay was used as previously described to detect influenza A and B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) A and B, parainfluenza viruses 1-4, human metapneumovirus (HMPV), adenovirus, seasonal coronaviruses (229E, OC43, NL63) and human rhinovirus. Results: Overall virus positivity was 44.2%, with prevalence higher in children <5 years (80%) compared to children aged 5-17 years (53.1%), adults aged 18-50 (39.5%) and >50 years (39.9%), p<0.0001. After SARS-CoV-2 (18.3%), rhinoviruses (10.5%) and influenza viruses (5.5%) were the most prevalent. SARS-CoV-2 positivity was lower in children <5 (4.3%) and 5-17 years (12.7%) than in adults aged 18-50 (19.3%) and >50 years (24.3%), p<0.0001. In contrast, rhinoviruses were most prevalent in children <5 years (28.7%), followed by children aged 5-17 (15.8%), adults aged 18-50 (8.3%) and >50 years (6.3%), p<0.0001. Four SARS-CoV-2 waves occurred, with 36.1%-52.4% SARS-CoV-2 positivity during peak months. Influenza infections were observed in both 2020 and 2021 during the rainy season as expected (peak positivity 16.4%-23.5%). Peaks of rhinovirus were asynchronous to the months when SARS-CoV-2 and influenza peaked. Conclusion: Our data show that many respiratory viruses continued to circulate during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia, including human rhinoviruses, despite the presence of NPIs during the early stages of the pandemic, and influenza peaks during expected months.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sheikh Jarju
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Elina Senghore
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Helen Brotherton
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Lucy Affleck
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Alasana Saidykhan
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Samba Jallow
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Ebrima Krubally
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Edrisa Sinjanka
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Morris Ngor Ndene
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Fabakary Bajo
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Musa M Sanyang
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Binta Saidy
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Alasana Bah
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Nuredin I Mohammed
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Karen Forrest
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Ed Clarke
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Umberto Dalessandro
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Abdul K Sesay
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Effua Usuf
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Carla Cerami
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Anna Roca
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Beate Kampmann
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
- The Vaccine Centre, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Thushan I de Silva
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
- The Vaccine Centre, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
- 4. Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, The Medical School, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield, S10 2RX, UK
| |
Collapse
|
|
3
|
Jarju S, Senghore E, Brotherton H, Saidykhan A, Jallow S, Krubally E, Sinjanka E, Ndene MN, Bajo F, Sanyang MM, Saidy B, Bah A, Mohammed NI, Forrest K, Clarke E, Dalessandro U, Sesay AK, Usuf E, Cerami C, Roca A, Kampmann B, de Silva TI. Circulation of respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia. Gates Open Res 2022. [PMID: 36726685 DOI: 10.17605/osf.io/tsf78] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: In many countries, non-pharmaceutical interventions to limit severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission resulted in significant reductions in other respiratory viruses. However, similar data from Africa are limited. We explored the extent to which viruses such as influenza and rhinovirus co-circulated with SARS-CoV-2 in The Gambia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Between April 2020 and March 2022, respiratory viruses were detected using RT-PCR in nasopharyngeal swabs from 1397 participants with influenza-like illness. An assay to detect SARS-CoV-2 and a viral multiplex RT-PCR assay was used as previously described to detect influenza A and B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) A and B, parainfluenza viruses 1-4, human metapneumovirus (HMPV), adenovirus, seasonal coronaviruses (229E, OC43, NL63) and human rhinovirus. Results: Overall virus positivity was 44.2%, with prevalence higher in children <5 years (80%) compared to children aged 5-17 years (53.1%), adults aged 18-50 (39.5%) and >50 years (39.9%), p<0.0001. After SARS-CoV-2 (18.3%), rhinoviruses (10.5%) and influenza viruses (5.5%) were the most prevalent. SARS-CoV-2 positivity was lower in children <5 (4.3%) and 5-17 years (12.7%) than in adults aged 18-50 (19.3%) and >50 years (24.3%), p<0.0001. In contrast, rhinoviruses were most prevalent in children <5 years (28.7%), followed by children aged 5-17 (15.8%), adults aged 18-50 (8.3%) and >50 years (6.3%), p<0.0001. Four SARS-CoV-2 waves occurred, with 36.1%-52.4% SARS-CoV-2 positivity during peak months. Influenza infections were observed in both 2020 and 2021 during the rainy season as expected (peak positivity 16.4%-23.5%). Peaks of rhinovirus were asynchronous to the months when SARS-CoV-2 and influenza peaked. Conclusion: Our data show that many respiratory viruses continued to circulate during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia, including human rhinoviruses, despite the presence of NPIs during the early stages of the pandemic, and influenza peaks during expected months.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sheikh Jarju
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Elina Senghore
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Helen Brotherton
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Alasana Saidykhan
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Samba Jallow
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Edrissa Krubally
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Edrisa Sinjanka
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Morris Ngor Ndene
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Fabakary Bajo
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Musa M Sanyang
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Binta Saidy
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Alasana Bah
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Nuredin I Mohammed
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Karen Forrest
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Ed Clarke
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Umberto Dalessandro
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Abdul K Sesay
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Effua Usuf
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Carla Cerami
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
| | - Anna Roca
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Beate Kampmann
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
- The Vaccine Centre, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Thushan I de Silva
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, P.O.BOX 273, The Gambia
- The Vaccine Centre, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
- 4. Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, The Medical School, The University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield, S10 2RX, UK
| |
Collapse
|