Surveillance of endemic coronaviruses during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Iran, 2021–2022

Abstract

Background Human coronaviruses (HCoVs) 229E, OC43, HKU1, and NL63 are common viruses that continuously circulate in the human population. Previous studies showed the circulation of HCoVs during the cold months in Iran. We studied the circulation of HCoVs during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic to find the impact of pandemic on the circulation of these viruses. Methods As a cross‐sectional survey conducted during 2021 to 2022, of all throat swabs sent to Iran National Influenza Center from patients with severe acute respiratory infection, 590 samples were selected to test for HCoVs using one‐step real‐time RT‐PCR. Results Overall, 28 out of 590 (4.7%) tested samples were found to be positive for at least one HCoVs. HCoV‐OC43 was the most common (14/590 or 2.4%), followed by HCoV‐HKU1 (12/590 or 2%) and HCoV‐229E (4/590 or 0.6%), while HCoV‐NL63 was not detected. HCoVs were detected in patients of all ages and throughout the study period with peaks in the cold months of the year. Conclusions Our multicenter survey provides insight into the low circulation of HCoVs during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Iran in 2021/2022. Hygiene habits and social distancing measures might have important role in decreasing of HCoVs transmission. We believe that surveillance studies are needed to track the pattern of HCoVs distributions and detect changes in the epidemiology of such viruses to set out strategies in order to timely control the future outbreaks of HCoVs throughout the nation.

Prevalence and clinical impact of mono- and co-infections with endemic coronaviruses 229E, OC43, NL63, and HKU-1 during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Herein, NL63 was the most prevalent of the four eHCoV species, followed by OC43 ( p < 0.05). Surveillance studies conducted in different countries have shown that the distribution of common eHCoV species varies by year and geographical location [ 20 , 36 , 37 ].…”

Synergizing AI, IoT, and Blockchain for Diagnosing Pandemic Diseases in Smart Cities: Challenges and Opportunities

“…Several smart cities around the world have implemented proactive surveillance systems to monitor the spread of pandemics and take timely preventive actions. For instance, Singapore's smart city initiatives have demonstrated remarkable success in leveraging technology for pandemic control [90]. Through their "TraceTogether" program, Singapore implemented a contact tracing system that utilizes Bluetooth technology to identify and notify individuals who have been near COVID-19 cases.…”

“…This integrated approach allows for efficient contact tracing and early detection of outbreaks, enabling swift responses, targeted interventions, and effective containment measures. These examples highlight how proactive surveillance systems in smart cities can play a crucial role in monitoring and managing the spread of pandemics, ultimately helping to safeguard public health and minimize the impact of infectious diseases [90].…”

Multiplexed Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Coupled with a Nucleic Acid-Based Lateral Flow Dipstick as a Rapid Diagnostic Method to Detect SARS-CoV-2

“…Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first identified in December 2019 during an outbreak originating from a market in Wuhan, China [1]. This novel coronavirus is the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID- 19) and is only the seventh known coronavirus that has been infectious to humans [2,3]. The rapid spread of COVID-19 has resulted in the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring a global pandemic.…”