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Post-Infectious Syndromes in the Post-Pandemic Phase Among the German General Population
1Institute for Medical Epidemiology, Biometrics and Informatics, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg.
Deutsches Arzteblatt International
|August 3, 2026
Summary
Persistent symptoms after respiratory infections are common, affecting 18.8% of individuals for 12+ weeks. These long-term respiratory symptoms cause significant impairment and are similar across various pathogens.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Persistent symptoms post-respiratory infection can significantly impair daily life, similar to
Purpose of the Study:
- Determine the frequency and impact of symptoms persisting 12 weeks or longer after respiratory infections.
- Assess healthcare utilization for these persistent symptoms in the general population.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study using the population-based digital cohort DigiHero in Germany.
- Online questionnaire completed by 46,915 adults regarding symptoms persisting 12+ weeks post-respiratory infection (Sept 2024 - Aug 2025).
Main Results:
- 48.3% reported a respiratory infection; 18.8% experienced persistent symptoms (12+ weeks).
- Higher frequency in older adults (21.4% in ages 60-69 vs. 13.1% in ages 20-29).
- 86.8% reported functional impairment; 57.9% sought medical care. Common symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, and exhaustion, similar for SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and RSV.
Conclusions:
- Persistent symptoms after respiratory infections are a common and significant health issue.
- The frequency, severity, and symptom patterns of persistent symptoms are similar across different respiratory pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2 and influenza.
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