فهرست نشریات علمی دسترسی آزاد ایران

Background: Respiratory viral infections changed substantially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Evaluating post-pandemic viral circulation is important to understand the resurgence and clinical patterns of common pediatric respiratory viruses. Objectives: This study aimed to determine trends in viral respiratory infections and their associated clinical symptoms during the cold season at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran. Methods: A total of 1,530 respiratory samples from hospitalized children diagnosed with acute respiratory infections were included. Demographic characteristics and clinical signs and symptoms were recorded. A multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assay was used to detect common respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and rhinovirus, in patient samples collected from October 2022 to April 2023. Results: Among 1,530 hospitalized children with respiratory symptoms, 36.3% had at least one viral detection. Influenza was the most frequently identified virus (11.3%), followed by respiratory syncytial virus (10.5%), SARS-CoV-2 (9.8%), and rhinovirus (4.7%). Most infections occurred in children younger than 2 years, with a peak incidence in January. Coinfections were infrequent and most commonly involved rhinovirus. Influenza and respiratory syncytial virus infection rates were significantly higher in children aged ≥ 3 years and < 3 years, respectively. However, COVID-19 and rhinovirus infection rates did not differ significantly among age groups. Clinical presentations varied across viral groups. Conclusions: Given changes in health guidelines and waning antibody levels, it is important to examine the behavior and frequency of respiratory viruses in the post-COVID-19 period. This study demonstrated the resurgence of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus following the pandemic.