title: Viral pathogens among elderly people with acute respiratory infections in Shanghai, China: Preliminary results from a laboratory-based surveillance, 2012-2015.
abstract: Acute respiratory infections (ARIs), with viral pathogens as the major contributors, are the most common illnesses worldwide, and increase the morbidity and mortality among the elderly population. The clinical and pathological features of elderly people with ARIs need to be identified for disease intervention. From January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2015, respiratory specimens from patients above 60 years old with ARIs were collected from the outpatient and inpatient settings of six sentinel hospitals in Pudong New Area. Each specimen was tested via multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for eight target viral etiologies including influenza, human rhinovirus (HRV), human para-influenza virus (PIV), adenovirus (ADV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus (hMPV), human coronavirus (hCoVs), and human bocavirus (hBoV). A total of 967 elderly patients with ARIs were enrolled, including 589 (60.91%) males, and the median age was 73 years old. 306 (31.64%) patients were tested positive for any one of the eight viruses, including 276 single infections and 30 co-infections. Influenza was the predominant virus (14.17%, 137/967), detected from 21.35% (76/356) of the outpatients and 9.98% (61/611) of the inpatients. Influenza infections presented two annual seasonal peaks during winter and summer. Compared with non-influenza patients, those with influenza were more likely to have fever, cough, sore throat, and fatigue. This study identified influenza as the leading viral pathogen among elderly with ARIs, and two seasonal epidemic peaks were observed in Shanghai. An influenza vaccination strategy needs to be advocated for the elderly population.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.|Research Base of Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Early-Warning on Infectious Disease in China, CDC, Shanghai Pudong New Area Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Chuchu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: Research Base of Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Early-Warning on Infectious Disease in China, CDC, Shanghai Pudong New Area Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Weiping
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jianxing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Early-Warning on Infectious Disease, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Zhongjie
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Research Base of Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Early-Warning on Infectious Disease in China, CDC, Shanghai Pudong New Area Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yifei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Research Base of Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Early-Warning on Infectious Disease in China, CDC, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Yajia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Early-Warning on Infectious Disease, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.|Department of Geography and Environment, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: Shengjie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Research Base of Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Early-Warning on Infectious Disease in China, CDC, Shanghai Pudong New Area Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yuanping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Research Base of Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Early-Warning on Infectious Disease in China, CDC, Shanghai Pudong New Area Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Lifeng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Research Base of Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Early-Warning on Infectious Disease in China, CDC, Shanghai Pudong New Area Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Qiao
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Genming
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D060085:Coinfection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D056661:Human bocavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D029121:Metapneumovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008875:Middle Aged; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction; D010045:Outpatients; D011640:Public Policy; D018113:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D012621:Seasons; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014780:Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity
keywords: influenza virus; public policy; respiratory track