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Respiratory Syncytial Virus Outbreak in Infants and Young Children during COVID-19 Pandemic in Taiwan

Hsin Chi1,2, Ching-Hu Chung2

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Mackay Memorial Hospital and Mackay Children's Hospital, Taipei 104, Taiwan.

Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 16, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes significant hospitalizations in young children. This study reveals Taiwan

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) poses a substantial health burden on infants and young children globally.
  • RSV seasonality typically follows temperature and humidity patterns, but its specific patterns in subtropical regions like Taiwan require further investigation.
  • The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on RSV seasonality in Taiwan remained unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the seasonality of RSV hospitalizations in Taiwan.
  • To analyze the monthly distribution of RSV hospitalizations.
  • To assess the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on RSV hospitalization patterns.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized linked data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Database and Death Registration Files.
  • Analyzed birth data for infants aged 0-1 years and children aged 1-5 years.
  • Examined RSV hospitalization (RSVH) rates over a 13-year period, including the COVID-19 pandemic era.

Main Results:

  • RSVH rates in infants (0-1 year) were higher than in older children (1-5 years), ranging from 0.95% to 1.71% annually.
  • Most years exhibited 2-3 RSV epidemic seasons in children aged 0-5 years.
  • A significant RSVH surge occurred in autumn 2020 (September-December), with additional peaks observed in February-May and July-August.

Conclusions:

  • Taiwan experiences year-round RSV hospitalization activity with distinct seasonal peaks.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a notable RSV outbreak in late 2020.
  • Understanding RSV seasonality in subtropical regions is crucial for public health interventions.

Keywords:
COVID-19hospitalizationrespiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

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