Epidemiology and surveillance of influenza, RSV and SARS-CoV-2 in children admitted with severe acute respiratory infection in West bengal, India from 2022 to 2023

Abstract Background Evaluating the burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza among young children in LMICs is crucial to inform implementation policies, given the importance of maternal influenza and RSV vaccination, which may not yet be widely available. Methods This study establish...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Tila Khan, Ranjan Saurav Das, Abhishek Jaiswal, Sayantan Halder, Rina Maity Majhi, Arabinda Mahato, Tarapada Ghosh, Parthasarathi Satpathi, Sangeeta Das Bhattacharya
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-08-01
Series:BMC Infectious Diseases
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-025-11421-4
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849226583924015104
author Tila Khan
Ranjan Saurav Das
Abhishek Jaiswal
Sayantan Halder
Rina Maity Majhi
Arabinda Mahato
Tarapada Ghosh
Parthasarathi Satpathi
Sangeeta Das Bhattacharya
author_facet Tila Khan
Ranjan Saurav Das
Abhishek Jaiswal
Sayantan Halder
Rina Maity Majhi
Arabinda Mahato
Tarapada Ghosh
Parthasarathi Satpathi
Sangeeta Das Bhattacharya
author_sort Tila Khan
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Evaluating the burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza among young children in LMICs is crucial to inform implementation policies, given the importance of maternal influenza and RSV vaccination, which may not yet be widely available. Methods This study established a one-year surveillance of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) from June 2022–2023 in hospitalized children 1–24 months from rural West Bengal India. We tested nasopharyngeal swabs collected from children admitted with SARI using multiplex real-time PCR for influenza, RSV, SARS-CoV-2, with a subset (N = 81) tested for additional respiratory pathogens and analyzed clinical features, factors influencing infections, and hospitalization duration. Results Of 1842 children admitted with SARI, 77% (1419) were between 1 and 24 months. Of 191 sampled, 21 required intensive care, and 3 died. The majority of mothers (83.7%) were vaccinated against COVID-19, but none against influenza, pertussis, or RSV. Viruses were detected in 44% (84/191), with RSV being the most common 60/190 (31.6%), followed by influenza 12/190 (6.3%), and SARS-CoV-2 2/191 (1%). Influenza subtypes included influenza A/H3 (6/16), A/H1N1pdm (5/16), Influenza B (4/16), and Influenza C (1/16). RSV peaked during autumn, influenza during winter and monsoon. Influenza was more common in infants < 6 months (13.4%, p = 0.03). RSV affected both infants under 6 months and over similarly (34% vs. 29.6%, p = 0.5). Infants < 6 months frequently required oxygen support (p = 0.02), though ICU admissions were similar (p = 0.98). RSV was associated with 19% of ICU admissions and influenza with 14%. Additional pathogens included Haemophilus influenzae (23.45%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (22%), rhinovirus (13.6%), parainfluenza virus group (6.1%), Staphylococcus aureus (8.6%), Moraxella catarrhalis (5%), bocavirus (3.7%), adenovirus (3.7%), Chlamydia pneumoniae (1%), and Bordetella (1%). Viral-bacterial co-detection occurred in 34%, especially in infants < 6 months. Children with RSV had increased risk of having S. pneumoniae [Odds Ratio OR 6.2, 95% CI 1.8–21.3]. Rhinovirus cases were associated with ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, and longer length of stay, regardless of age. Conclusion RSV and influenza were the key contributors to SARI in children under-2. Findings highlight the need for diagnostics to guide vaccination, reduce antibiotic use, and improve indoor air quality for alleviating the SARI burden in rural settings.
format Article
id doaj-art-87b5c71a437342a0933777c0cd83e2e1
institution Kabale University
issn 1471-2334
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Infectious Diseases
spelling doaj-art-87b5c71a437342a0933777c0cd83e2e12025-08-24T11:10:11ZengBMCBMC Infectious Diseases1471-23342025-08-0125111810.1186/s12879-025-11421-4Epidemiology and surveillance of influenza, RSV and SARS-CoV-2 in children admitted with severe acute respiratory infection in West bengal, India from 2022 to 2023Tila Khan0Ranjan Saurav Das1Abhishek Jaiswal2Sayantan Halder3Rina Maity Majhi4Arabinda Mahato5Tarapada Ghosh6Parthasarathi Satpathi7Sangeeta Das Bhattacharya8School of Medical Science & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology KharagpurSchool of Medical Science & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology KharagpurViral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Midnapore Medical College & HospitalSchool of Medical Science & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology KharagpurSchool of Medical Science & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology KharagpurPaediatrics, Kharagpur Sub Divisional HospitalDepartment of Paediatrics and Neonatology, Midnapore Medical College & HospitalViral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Midnapore Medical College & HospitalChristiana Care Health SystemAbstract Background Evaluating the burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza among young children in LMICs is crucial to inform implementation policies, given the importance of maternal influenza and RSV vaccination, which may not yet be widely available. Methods This study established a one-year surveillance of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) from June 2022–2023 in hospitalized children 1–24 months from rural West Bengal India. We tested nasopharyngeal swabs collected from children admitted with SARI using multiplex real-time PCR for influenza, RSV, SARS-CoV-2, with a subset (N = 81) tested for additional respiratory pathogens and analyzed clinical features, factors influencing infections, and hospitalization duration. Results Of 1842 children admitted with SARI, 77% (1419) were between 1 and 24 months. Of 191 sampled, 21 required intensive care, and 3 died. The majority of mothers (83.7%) were vaccinated against COVID-19, but none against influenza, pertussis, or RSV. Viruses were detected in 44% (84/191), with RSV being the most common 60/190 (31.6%), followed by influenza 12/190 (6.3%), and SARS-CoV-2 2/191 (1%). Influenza subtypes included influenza A/H3 (6/16), A/H1N1pdm (5/16), Influenza B (4/16), and Influenza C (1/16). RSV peaked during autumn, influenza during winter and monsoon. Influenza was more common in infants < 6 months (13.4%, p = 0.03). RSV affected both infants under 6 months and over similarly (34% vs. 29.6%, p = 0.5). Infants < 6 months frequently required oxygen support (p = 0.02), though ICU admissions were similar (p = 0.98). RSV was associated with 19% of ICU admissions and influenza with 14%. Additional pathogens included Haemophilus influenzae (23.45%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (22%), rhinovirus (13.6%), parainfluenza virus group (6.1%), Staphylococcus aureus (8.6%), Moraxella catarrhalis (5%), bocavirus (3.7%), adenovirus (3.7%), Chlamydia pneumoniae (1%), and Bordetella (1%). Viral-bacterial co-detection occurred in 34%, especially in infants < 6 months. Children with RSV had increased risk of having S. pneumoniae [Odds Ratio OR 6.2, 95% CI 1.8–21.3]. Rhinovirus cases were associated with ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, and longer length of stay, regardless of age. Conclusion RSV and influenza were the key contributors to SARI in children under-2. Findings highlight the need for diagnostics to guide vaccination, reduce antibiotic use, and improve indoor air quality for alleviating the SARI burden in rural settings.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-025-11421-4EpidemiologySevere Acute Respiratory InfectionRespiratory tract infectionsRespiratory Syncytial VirusInfluenzaSARS-CoV-2
spellingShingle Tila Khan
Ranjan Saurav Das
Abhishek Jaiswal
Sayantan Halder
Rina Maity Majhi
Arabinda Mahato
Tarapada Ghosh
Parthasarathi Satpathi
Sangeeta Das Bhattacharya
Epidemiology and surveillance of influenza, RSV and SARS-CoV-2 in children admitted with severe acute respiratory infection in West bengal, India from 2022 to 2023
BMC Infectious Diseases
Epidemiology
Severe Acute Respiratory Infection
Respiratory tract infections
Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Influenza
SARS-CoV-2
title Epidemiology and surveillance of influenza, RSV and SARS-CoV-2 in children admitted with severe acute respiratory infection in West bengal, India from 2022 to 2023
title_full Epidemiology and surveillance of influenza, RSV and SARS-CoV-2 in children admitted with severe acute respiratory infection in West bengal, India from 2022 to 2023
title_fullStr Epidemiology and surveillance of influenza, RSV and SARS-CoV-2 in children admitted with severe acute respiratory infection in West bengal, India from 2022 to 2023
title_full_unstemmed Epidemiology and surveillance of influenza, RSV and SARS-CoV-2 in children admitted with severe acute respiratory infection in West bengal, India from 2022 to 2023
title_short Epidemiology and surveillance of influenza, RSV and SARS-CoV-2 in children admitted with severe acute respiratory infection in West bengal, India from 2022 to 2023
title_sort epidemiology and surveillance of influenza rsv and sars cov 2 in children admitted with severe acute respiratory infection in west bengal india from 2022 to 2023
topic Epidemiology
Severe Acute Respiratory Infection
Respiratory tract infections
Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Influenza
SARS-CoV-2
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-025-11421-4
work_keys_str_mv AT tilakhan epidemiologyandsurveillanceofinfluenzarsvandsarscov2inchildrenadmittedwithsevereacuterespiratoryinfectioninwestbengalindiafrom2022to2023
AT ranjansauravdas epidemiologyandsurveillanceofinfluenzarsvandsarscov2inchildrenadmittedwithsevereacuterespiratoryinfectioninwestbengalindiafrom2022to2023
AT abhishekjaiswal epidemiologyandsurveillanceofinfluenzarsvandsarscov2inchildrenadmittedwithsevereacuterespiratoryinfectioninwestbengalindiafrom2022to2023
AT sayantanhalder epidemiologyandsurveillanceofinfluenzarsvandsarscov2inchildrenadmittedwithsevereacuterespiratoryinfectioninwestbengalindiafrom2022to2023
AT rinamaitymajhi epidemiologyandsurveillanceofinfluenzarsvandsarscov2inchildrenadmittedwithsevereacuterespiratoryinfectioninwestbengalindiafrom2022to2023
AT arabindamahato epidemiologyandsurveillanceofinfluenzarsvandsarscov2inchildrenadmittedwithsevereacuterespiratoryinfectioninwestbengalindiafrom2022to2023
AT tarapadaghosh epidemiologyandsurveillanceofinfluenzarsvandsarscov2inchildrenadmittedwithsevereacuterespiratoryinfectioninwestbengalindiafrom2022to2023
AT parthasarathisatpathi epidemiologyandsurveillanceofinfluenzarsvandsarscov2inchildrenadmittedwithsevereacuterespiratoryinfectioninwestbengalindiafrom2022to2023
AT sangeetadasbhattacharya epidemiologyandsurveillanceofinfluenzarsvandsarscov2inchildrenadmittedwithsevereacuterespiratoryinfectioninwestbengalindiafrom2022to2023