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van Summeren J, Meijer A, Aspelund G, Casalegno JS, Erna G, Hoang U, Lina B, de Lusignan S, Teirlinck AC, Thors V, Paget J. Low levels of respiratory syncytial virus activity in Europe during the 2020/21 season: what can we expect in the coming summer and autumn/winter? Euro Surveill 2021; 26:2100639. [PMID: 34296672 PMCID: PMC8299745 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2021.26.29.2100639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the introduction of non-pharmacological interventions to control COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity in Europe has been limited. Surveillance data for 17 countries showed delayed RSV epidemics in France (≥ 12 w) and Iceland (≥ 4 w) during the 2020/21 season. RSV cases (predominantly small children) in France and Iceland were older compared with previous seasons. We hypothesise that future RSV epidemic(s) could start outside the usual autumn/winter season and be larger than expected. Year-round surveillance of RSV is of critical importance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adam Meijer
- Centre for Infectious Diseases Research, Diagnostics and laboratory Surveillance, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Guðrún Aspelund
- Centre for Health Security and Communicable Disease Control, The Directorate of Health, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Jean Sebastien Casalegno
- Virology Department, Institut des Agents Infectieux, Hôpital de la Croix-Rousse, HCL, Lyon, France
| | - Guðrún Erna
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Uy Hoang
- Oxford-Royal College of General Practitioners Research and Surveillance Centre, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Bruno Lina
- Virology Department, Institut des Agents Infectieux, Hôpital de la Croix-Rousse, HCL, Lyon, France
| | - Simon de Lusignan
- Oxford-Royal College of General Practitioners Research and Surveillance Centre, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Anne C Teirlinck
- Centre for Infectious Diseases, Epidemiology and Surveillance, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Valtýr Thors
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
- Children's Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - John Paget
- Nivel, Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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