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Sharp decline in rates of community respiratory viral detection among patients at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic

Part of: SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 February 2022

Michele E. Woolbert Open the ORCID record for Michele E. Woolbert [Opens in a new window] ,
Christine D. Spalding ,
Ninet Sinaii Open the ORCID record for Ninet Sinaii [Opens in a new window] ,
Brooke K. Decker Open the ORCID record for Brooke K. Decker [Opens in a new window] ,
Tara N. Palmore Open the ORCID record for Tara N. Palmore [Opens in a new window]  and
David K. Henderson
Michele E. Woolbert*
Affiliation:
Hospital Epidemiology Service, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
Christine D. Spalding
Affiliation:
Hospital Epidemiology Service, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
Ninet Sinaii
Affiliation:
Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology Service, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
Brooke K. Decker
Affiliation:
Hospital Epidemiology Service, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
Tara N. Palmore
Affiliation:
Hospital Epidemiology Service, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
David K. Henderson
Affiliation:
Hospital Epidemiology Service, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
*
Author for correspondence: Michele E. Woolbert, E-mail: michele.woolbert@nih.gov
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Abstract

Objectives:

To analyze the frequency and rates of community respiratory virus infections detected in patients at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (NIHCC) between January 2015 and March 2021, comparing the trends before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective study comparing frequency and rates of community respiratory viruses detected in NIHCC patients between January 2015 and March 2021. Test results from nasopharyngeal swabs and washes, bronchoalveolar lavages, and bronchial washes were included in this study. Results from viral-challenge studies and repeated positives were excluded. A quantitative data analysis was completed using cross tabulations. Comparisons were performed using mixed models, applying the Dunnett correction for multiplicity.

Results:

Frequency of all respiratory pathogens declined from an annual range of 0.88%–1.97% between January 2015 and March 2020 to 0.29% between April 2020 and March 2021. Individual viral pathogens declined sharply in frequency during the same period, with no cases of influenza A/B orparainfluenza and 1 case of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Rhino/enterovirusdetection continued, but with a substantially lower frequency of 4.27% between April 2020 and March 2021, compared with an annual range of 8.65%–18.28% between January 2015 and March 2020.

Conclusions:

The decrease in viral respiratory infections detected in NIHCC patients during the pandemic was likely due to the layered COVID-19 prevention and mitigation measures implemented in the community and the hospital. Hospitals should consider continuing the use of nonpharmaceutical interventions in the future to prevent nosocomial transmission of respiratory viruses during times of high community viral load.

Type
Original Article
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 44 , Issue 1 , January 2023 , pp. 62 - 67
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Creative Commons
This is a work of the US Government and is not subject to copyright protection within the United States. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.
Copyright
© Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, 2022

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Footnotes

PREVIOUS PRESENTATION. This study was presented virtually, in part as abstract no. 152 at IDWeek2021 on September 29–October 3, 2021, in San Diego, California.

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