Dynamics of respiratory viruses other than SARS‐CoV‐2 during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Madrid, Spain

Abstract

AbstractThe COVID‐19 pandemic and the implemented control measures have impacted the circulation of respiratory‐transmitted pathogens. In this report, we present data from a retrospective study that included 17,883 specimens conducted between 2018 and 2022 in our facility, describing the dynamics of circulation of the main respiratory viruses. We observed a significant decrease in all viral detections (other than SARS‐CoV‐2) starting from March 2020. However, rhinovirus maintained comparable levels to the pre‐pandemic period. Additionally, influenza viruses were not detected during the 2020–2021 season, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) exhibited a shift in its seasonality, with an epidemic peak occurring in the summer of 2021.