The COVID-19 pandemic has far-reaching implications in the diagnosis, treatment, and control of respiratory pathogens. One immediate concern is the convergence of SARS-CoV-2 and other human respiratory pathogens. While lockdowns, social distancing, and other public health measures have contributed to the decrease in the number of reported cases of respiratory diseases, such as influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and others; these control measures may increase the number of the cases of other communicable diseases, such as tuberculosis, due to the disruption in the health services brought about by the pandemic. In addition, these current reductions are likely to be transitory and the usual pathogens are likely to re-emerge at some point in time and co-circulate with SARS-CoV-2.
Our knowledge is still limited on how to control and manage the novel coronavirus and how it affects ongoing health activities for combating influenza and other respiratory pathogens. Basic epidemiological data is urgently needed in order to provide evidence and help researchers, clinicians, and policy makers in addressing these issues. This Research Topic aims to determine the epidemiology of influenza and other human respiratory pathogens in context of co-infection with SARS-CoV-2 and monitor how it affects disease severity and clinical outcomes. Further of interest is whether there will be changes in the characteristics of influenza and other respiratory viruses when they re-emerge following the initial wave of COVID-19 due to various potential viral bottlenecks.
• Surveillance studies including hospital, community, national, or regional-based monitoring.
• Differences in outcomes across age groups, geographic location, and ethnicity.
• Molecular epidemiology and laboratory-based detection.
• Development of diagnostics tests and protocol.
• Pathogenesis and risk factors of disease severity.
• Virus-virus and virus-bacteria interactions in COVID-19 patients with coinfections.
• Molecular factors that affect the host immune response to pathogens.
• Therapeutics (antiviral and antibiotics usage).
The COVID-19 pandemic has far-reaching implications in the diagnosis, treatment, and control of respiratory pathogens. One immediate concern is the convergence of SARS-CoV-2 and other human respiratory pathogens. While lockdowns, social distancing, and other public health measures have contributed to the decrease in the number of reported cases of respiratory diseases, such as influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and others; these control measures may increase the number of the cases of other communicable diseases, such as tuberculosis, due to the disruption in the health services brought about by the pandemic. In addition, these current reductions are likely to be transitory and the usual pathogens are likely to re-emerge at some point in time and co-circulate with SARS-CoV-2.
Our knowledge is still limited on how to control and manage the novel coronavirus and how it affects ongoing health activities for combating influenza and other respiratory pathogens. Basic epidemiological data is urgently needed in order to provide evidence and help researchers, clinicians, and policy makers in addressing these issues. This Research Topic aims to determine the epidemiology of influenza and other human respiratory pathogens in context of co-infection with SARS-CoV-2 and monitor how it affects disease severity and clinical outcomes. Further of interest is whether there will be changes in the characteristics of influenza and other respiratory viruses when they re-emerge following the initial wave of COVID-19 due to various potential viral bottlenecks.
• Surveillance studies including hospital, community, national, or regional-based monitoring.
• Differences in outcomes across age groups, geographic location, and ethnicity.
• Molecular epidemiology and laboratory-based detection.
• Development of diagnostics tests and protocol.
• Pathogenesis and risk factors of disease severity.
• Virus-virus and virus-bacteria interactions in COVID-19 patients with coinfections.
• Molecular factors that affect the host immune response to pathogens.
• Therapeutics (antiviral and antibiotics usage).
