Co-infection with Influenza Viruses and Influenza-Like Virus During the 2015/2016 Epidemic Season.
Concerning viral infection of the respiratory system, a single virus can cause a variety of clinical symptoms and the same set of symptoms can be caused by different viruses. Moreover, infection is often caused by a combination of viruses acting at the same time. The present study demonstrates, using multiplex RT-PCR and real-time qRT-PCR, that in the 2015/2016 influenza season, co-infections were confirmed in patients aged 1 month to 90 years. We found 73 co-infections involving influenza viruses, 17 involving influenza viruses and influenza-like viruses, and six involving influenza-like viruses. The first type of co-infections above mentioned was the most common, amounting to 51 cases, with type A and B viruses occurring simultaneously. There also were four cases of co-infections with influenza virus A/H1N1/pdm09 and A/H1N1/ subtypes and two cases with A/H1N1/pdm09 and A/H3N2/ subtypes. The 2015/2016 epidemic season was characterized by a higher number of confirmed co-infections compared with the previous seasons. Infections by more than one respiratory virus were most often found in children and in individuals aged over 65.
Department of Influenza Research, National Influenza Center, National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, 24 Chocimska Street, 00-791, Warsaw, Poland. kszymanski@pzh.gov.pl.
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K
Szymański
Department of Influenza Research, National Influenza Center, National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, 24 Chocimska Street, 00-791, Warsaw, Poland.
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K
Cieślak
Department of Influenza Research, National Influenza Center, National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, 24 Chocimska Street, 00-791, Warsaw, Poland.
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D
Kowalczyk
Department of Influenza Research, National Influenza Center, National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, 24 Chocimska Street, 00-791, Warsaw, Poland.
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Brydak
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D060085:Coinfection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D053122:Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009981:Influenza B virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012621:Seasons
Co-infections; Epidemic season; Influenza; Multiplex RT-PCR; Respiratory viruses; Viral infections