We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Download Mobile App





Breaking Research Throws Light on COVID, Flu, and RSV Co-Infections

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 27 Jul 2023

At the 2023 AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo, researchers presented new data on co-infection rates of SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the United States. More...

This study provides one of the earliest insights into the interrelationship between these prevalent yet potentially lethal viruses and could contribute to enhanced diagnosis and patient management for these illnesses. After analyzing over 26,000 respiratory tests from US adults and children in late 2022, the researchers found co-infections in over 1% of positive cases, with the rate being particularly high in individuals below 21 years. These findings could impact how clinicians approach testing for respiratory diseases during future epidemics and seasonal outbreaks.

Respiratory viruses like RSV place substantial strain on public health systems. The likelihood of co-infections increases during multiple outbreaks of respiratory diseases, such as in the winter flu season. Patients with co-infections run a higher risk of developing severe disease and experiencing treatment complications, underlining the importance of understanding the prevalence of co-infections within the general population. Co-infections can be especially challenging during an epidemic. For instance, a surge in RSV cases in the US towards the end of 2022 coincided with the continuous spread of COVID-19 and the onset of the seasonal flu. However, there has been very less data defining co-infection rates during this RSV outbreak, which until recently lacked a vaccine.

Now, scientists at Quest Diagnostics (Marlborough, MA, USA) have presented one of the first comprehensive studies on co-infection rates in the US amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. In a retrospective study, they examined 26,657 respiratory tests collected from a clinical laboratory over a 107-day period in the fall of 2022, which included 9,800 samples from patients below 21 years. Using the Roche cobas and Cepheid Xpert platforms, they tested these samples for RSV, SARS-CoV-2, and influenza A/B.

The tests demonstrated that co-infections with two or more of these viruses occurred in 1.33% of positive cases and in .55% of all samples studied. The positivity rates varied depending on the viruses involved, ranging from .38% in adults for both SARS-CoV-2 and RSV to 2.28% in adults for both influenza A and SARS-CoV-2. However, co-infection rates in the pediatric group surpassed those in the adult population for all three viruses. A striking 6% co-infection rate of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A in those under 21 was observed, which echoed previous findings by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in hospitalized pediatric patients.

“As we experience more flu-seasons and future epidemics of respiratory viruses, we’ll be able to acquire more co-infection rate data,” said lead scientist George Pratt, Ph.D., at Quest Diagnostics. “Our current work would make a useful data point to help evaluate whether future co-infection rates are shrinking or growing.”

Related Links:
Quest Diagnostics 


Gold Member
Quantitative POC Immunoassay Analyzer
EASY READER+
Portable Electronic Pipette
Mini 96
New
ESR Analyzer
TEST1 2.0
New
Gold Member
Automatic Hematology Analyzer
DH-800 Series
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel
Image: Left is the original cell image and right is same cell image zoomed in and rendered in the special imaging software (Photo courtesy of FIU)

Brain Inflammation Biomarker Detects Alzheimer’s Years Before Symptoms Appear

Alzheimer’s disease affects millions globally, but patients are often diagnosed only after memory loss and other symptoms appear, when brain damage is already extensive. Detecting the disease much earlier... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: New research points to protecting blood during radiation therapy (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Pioneering Model Measures Radiation Exposure in Blood for Precise Cancer Treatments

Scientists have long focused on protecting organs near tumors during radiotherapy, but blood — a vital, circulating tissue — has largely been excluded from dose calculations. Each blood cell passing through... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The VENTANA HER2 (4B5) test is now CE-IVDR approved (Photo courtesy of Roche)

Companion Diagnostic Test Identifies HER2-Ultralow Breast Cancer and Biliary Tract Cancer Patients

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Europe, with more than 564,000 new cases and 145,000 deaths annually. Metastatic breast cancer is rising in younger populations and remains the leading cause... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: An adult fibrosarcoma case report has shown the importance of early diagnosis and targeted therapy (Photo courtesy of Sultana and Sailaja/Oncoscience)

Accurate Pathological Analysis Improves Treatment Outcomes for Adult Fibrosarcoma

Adult fibrosarcoma is a rare and highly aggressive malignancy that develops in connective tissue and often affects the limbs, trunk, or head and neck region. Diagnosis is complex because tumors can mimic... Read more

Technology

view channel
Image: Conceptual design of the CORAL capsule for microbial sampling in the small intestine (H. Mohammed et al., Device (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.device.2025.100904)

Coral-Inspired Capsule Samples Hidden Bacteria from Small Intestine

The gut microbiome has been linked to conditions ranging from immune disorders to mental health, yet conventional stool tests often fail to capture bacterial populations in the small intestine.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.