Comprehensive real-time epidemiological data from respiratory infections in Finland between 2010 and 2014 obtained...

Respiratory viruses cause seasonal epidemics every year. Several respiratory pathogens are circulating simultaneously and typical symptoms of different respiratory infections are alike, meaning it is challenging to identify and diagnose different respiratory pathogens based on symptoms alone. mariPOC® is an automated, multianalyte antigen test which allows the rapid detection of nine respiratory infection pathogens [influenza A and B viruses, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus, adenovirus, parainfluenza 1-3 viruses and pneumococci] from a single nasopharyngeal swab or aspirate samples, and, in addition, can be linked to laboratory information systems. During the study period from November 2010 to June 2014, a total of 22,485 multianalyte respi tests were performed in the 14 participating laboratories in Finland and, in total, 6897 positive analyte results were recorded. Of the tested samples, 25 % were positive for one respiratory pathogen, with RSV (9.8 %) and influenza A virus (7.2 %) being the most common findings, and 0.65 % of the samples were multivirus-positive. Only small geographical variations in seasonal epidemics occurred. Our results show that the mariPOC® multianalyte respi test allows simultaneous detection of several respiratory pathogens in real time. The results are reliable and give the clinician a picture of the current epidemiological situation, thus minimising guesswork.