Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on influenza and respiratory syncytial virus antibody titres in the community: a prospective cohort study in Neustadt, Thuringia, Germany

• Published in: The European respiratory journal Vol. 60; no. 5; p. 2200947
• Main Authors: Pletz, Mathias W., Dürrwald, Ralf, Reiche, Janine, Rose, Norman, Scherag, André, Weis, Sebastian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: European Respiratory Society 01.11.2022
• Subjects: Research Letters
• ISSN: 0903-1936; 1399-3003
• DOI: 10.1183/13993003.00947-2022

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and the subsequent infection control measures, has led to a substantial shift in the spectrum of respiratory tract infections. In many regions, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was or still is the most common viral respiratory pathogen while the circulation of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was decreased [1–3]. There is some evidence from the past that an interruption of viral circulation for several years may reduce the immunity of the population and lead to a consecutive severe season, as observed in the 2017–2018 season that was dominated by influenza B lineage Yamagata, which was barely present in the previous 5 years [4, 5]. The lack of circulation of influenza and RSV during the COVID-19 pandemic did not result in a substantial drop in respective antibody levels in the community over 12 months https://bit.ly/3qXVLId