Respiratory virus monitoring in patients with community-acquired pneumonia during COVID-19 pandemic in Khabarovsk in 2020

Introduction. Emergence and spread of new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 among population of the Khabarovsk krai influenced the growth of reported cases of community-acquired pneumonia in year 2020. 
Aim. To determine proportion of other respiratory viruses in development of viral pneumonia epidemic process in the Khabarovsk city in year 2020 during COVID-19 pandemic. 
Materials and methods. Sputum of 346 patients with community-acquired pneumonia that were hospitalized with suspected diagnosis of COVID-19 was analyzed during year 2020 in Khabarovsk city. Identification of viral agents was performed via real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. 
Results. SARSCOV-2 RNA was identified in 183 (52.9%) out of 346 patients. Among other respiratory viruses parainfluenza virus type 3 and rhinoviruses were dominant mostly in SARS-CoV-2 negative examined people. It should be noted that etiology of pneumonia was identified only in 12.9% of all cases in this group (163 people). Co-infection with SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses such as parainfluenza virus type 3 virus, other coronaviruses and adenovirus was detected only in 2.2% of the cases. 
Conclusion. Low level of respiratory viruses detection in sputum can be caused by poor technique of sample collection in the hospital, disruption of storage and transportation conditions as well as development of secondary bacterial infection in certain patients. In order to evaluate influence of other respiratory viruses on the course of COVID-19 with underlying coinfection further investigation including analysis of patients’ clinical data is needed.

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