Respiratory Viral Coinfections in Pediatric Patients in the Primary Care Setting: A Multicenter Prospective Study Within the COPEDICAT Network.

Abstract

Acute respiratory viral infections pose a significant healthcare burden on the pediatric population globally, but data on the dissemination pattern in the community due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic are scarce. We conducted a 2-year prospective multicenter study in Catalonia (Spain) that examined the prevalence and coinfection dynamics of respiratory viruses among 1276 pediatric patients from different age groups attending primary care. Coinfection analysis demonstrated complex patterns and revealed a coinfection rate of 23.8% for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, often in association with rhinovirus or influenza A. This study provides valuable data to understand postpandemic viral interactions, which is imperative for public health interventions.