Epidemiological and Genetic Characteristics of Respiratory Viral Coinfections with Different Variants of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)

• Published in: Viruses 2024-06, Vol.16 (6), p.958
• Main Authors: Trifonova, Ivelina, Korsun, Neli, Madzharova, Iveta, Alexiev, Ivailo, Ivanov, Ivan, Levterova, Viktoria, Grigorova, Lyubomira, Stoikov, Ivan, Donchev, Dean, Christova, Iva
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Amino acids; Child; Child, Preschool; China - epidemiology; Coinfection - epidemiology; Coinfection - virology; coinfections; Comorbidity; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - virology; Data analysis; Diagnosis; Disease transmission; Epidemiology; Female; Genetic analysis; Genetic aspects; Genome, Viral; Genomes; Genotypes; Humans; Infant; Infections; Influenza; Influenza A; Influenza A virus - classification; Influenza A virus - genetics; Influenza A virus - isolation & purification; Influenza B virus - classification; Influenza B virus - genetics; Influenza B virus - isolation & purification; influenza viruses; Male; Medical research; Middle Aged; multiplex NGS; Mutation; Nasopharynx - virology; Next-generation sequencing; Pandemics; Pathogens; Phylogenetics; Phylogeny; Polymerase chain reaction; Public health; Respiratory syncytial virus; Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human - classification; Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human - genetics; Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human - isolation & purification; Respiratory tract diseases; Respiratory Tract Infections - epidemiology; Respiratory Tract Infections - virology; respiratory viruses; Rhinovirus; Rhinovirus - classification; Rhinovirus - genetics; Rhinovirus - isolation & purification; Risk factors; RSV-B; SARS-CoV-2; SARS-CoV-2 - classification; SARS-CoV-2 - genetics; SARS-CoV-2 - isolation & purification; Seasons; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Software; Viral infections; Viruses; VP1 protein; Whole Genome Sequencing; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1999-4915; 1999-4915
• DOI: 10.3390/v16060958

This study aimed to determine the incidence and etiological, seasonal, and genetic characteristics of respiratory viral coinfections involving severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Between October 2020 and January 2024, nasopharyngeal samples were collected from 2277 SARS-CoV-2-positive patients. Two multiplex approaches were used to detect and sequence SARS-CoV-2, influenza A/B viruses, and other seasonal respiratory viruses: multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and multiplex next-generation sequencing. Coinfections of SARS-CoV-2 with other respiratory viruses were detected in 164 (7.2%) patients. The most common co-infecting virus was respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (38 cases, 1.7%), followed by bocavirus (BoV) (1.2%) and rhinovirus (RV) (1.1%). Patients ≤ 16 years of age had the highest rate (15%) of mixed infections. Whole-genome sequencing produced 19 complete genomes of seasonal respiratory viral co-pathogens, which were subjected to phylogenetic and amino acid analyses. The detected influenza viruses were classified into the genetic groups 6B.1A.5a.2a and 6B.1A.5a.2a.1 for A(H1N1)pdm09, 3C.2a1b.2a.2a.1 and 3C.2a.2b for A(H3N2), and V1A.3a.2 for the B/Victoria lineage. The RSV-B sequences belonged to the genetic group GB5.0.5a, with HAdV-C belonging to type 1, BoV to genotype VP1, and PIV3 to lineage 1a(i). Multiple amino acid substitutions were identified, including at the antibody-binding sites. This study provides insights into respiratory viral coinfections involving SARS-CoV-2 and reinforces the importance of genetic characterization of co-pathogens in the development of therapeutic and preventive strategies.