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Volume 34, Issue 3 (May & June 2026)
J Adv Med Biomed Res 2026, 34(3): 230-237 |
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Ethics code: IR.MUBABOL.HRI.REC.1400.234
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Alijani M H, Sadeghi F, Sadr Moharerpour S, Hasanzadeh A, Mohammadi M, Vosough Z et al . Co-infection of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and Influenza Virus in Iranian Pediatric Patients Hospitalized with Suspected COVID-19: A Comparative Analysis of Clinical Characteristics. J Adv Med Biomed Res 2026; 34 (3) :230-237
URL: http://journal.zums.ac.ir/article-1-7743-en.html
URL: http://journal.zums.ac.ir/article-1-7743-en.html
Mohammad Hossein Alijani1 
, Farzin Sadeghi2 , Sahar Sadr Moharerpour3 , Ali Hasanzadeh4 , Mohsen Mohammadi5 , Zeinab Vosough6 , Hossein Ghorbani *7
, Farzin Sadeghi2 , Sahar Sadr Moharerpour3 , Ali Hasanzadeh4 , Mohsen Mohammadi5 , Zeinab Vosough6 , Hossein Ghorbani *7
1- Student Research Committee, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol,47176-47745, Iran.0009
2- Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
3- Clinical Research Development Center, Amirkola Children's Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
4- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
5- Non-Communicable Pediatric Disease Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
6- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
7- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran ,Ghorbani.serita1403@gmail.com
2- Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
3- Clinical Research Development Center, Amirkola Children's Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
4- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
5- Non-Communicable Pediatric Disease Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
6- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
7- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran ,
Abstract: (381 Views)
Background & Objective: Co-infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and either respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) or influenza virus may increase disease severity in children compared with single infections. This study investigated the frequency of SARS-CoV-2, RSV, and influenza virus infections and co-infections and compared the clinical and laboratory characteristics of affected patients.
Materials & Methods: Upper respiratory swab samples collected from 337 hospitalized pediatric patients. Multiplex real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect SARS-CoV-2, RSV, and influenza viruses. Clinical symptoms, characteristics, and laboratory findings were compared among virus-positive groups.
Results: Among the 337 hospitalized children, SARS-CoV-2, RSV, and influenza virus were detected in 18 (5.3%), 9 (2.7%), and 34 (10.1%) patients, respectively. Three cases of RSV/influenza virus co-infection and one case of SARS-CoV-2/influenza virus co-infection were identified. At hospital admission, fever was significantly more frequent among influenza- and SARS-CoV-2-positive patients than among RSV-positive patients (P=0.024). In addition, fatigue was reported significantly more frequently in the SARS-CoV-2-positive group than in the RSV- and influenza-positive groups (P=0.032).
Conclusion: Respiratory viral co-infections were uncommon in this cohort. All four patients with viral co-infections (one SARS-CoV-2/influenza and three RSV/influenza) presented with mild respiratory disease, similar to the majority of patients with single viral infections. These findings suggest that, in this cohort, respiratory viral co-infection was not associated with increased clinical severity.
Materials & Methods: Upper respiratory swab samples collected from 337 hospitalized pediatric patients. Multiplex real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect SARS-CoV-2, RSV, and influenza viruses. Clinical symptoms, characteristics, and laboratory findings were compared among virus-positive groups.
Results: Among the 337 hospitalized children, SARS-CoV-2, RSV, and influenza virus were detected in 18 (5.3%), 9 (2.7%), and 34 (10.1%) patients, respectively. Three cases of RSV/influenza virus co-infection and one case of SARS-CoV-2/influenza virus co-infection were identified. At hospital admission, fever was significantly more frequent among influenza- and SARS-CoV-2-positive patients than among RSV-positive patients (P=0.024). In addition, fatigue was reported significantly more frequently in the SARS-CoV-2-positive group than in the RSV- and influenza-positive groups (P=0.032).
Conclusion: Respiratory viral co-infections were uncommon in this cohort. All four patients with viral co-infections (one SARS-CoV-2/influenza and three RSV/influenza) presented with mild respiratory disease, similar to the majority of patients with single viral infections. These findings suggest that, in this cohort, respiratory viral co-infection was not associated with increased clinical severity.
Keywords: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, Respiratory syncytial virus, Influenza virus, co-infection, Pediatric
Type of Study: Original Research Article |
Subject:
Medical Biology
Received: 2026/03/29 | Accepted: 2026/05/25 | Published: 2026/06/29
Received: 2026/03/29 | Accepted: 2026/05/25 | Published: 2026/06/29
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