Respiratory viruses in rural Zambia during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVES: Limited data on respiratory infections are available from sub-Saharan Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of this study was to evaluate the burden of respiratory viruses in rural Zambia from 2019-2021. METHODS: Surveillance was initiated at Macha Hospital in Zambia in December 2018. Each week, patients with respiratory symptoms were enrolled from the outpatient clinic. Nasopharyngeal samples were collected and tested for respiratory pathogens. The prevalence of respiratory symptoms and viruses in 2021 was compared to results from 2019 and 2020. RESULTS: After seeing few cases of influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus in 2020, a return to prepandemic levels was observed in 2021. Rhinovirus/enterovirus, parainfluenza virus 1-4, and adenovirus circulated from 2019 to 2021, while human metapneumovirus and human coronaviruses (HKU1, 229E, OC43, and NL63 subtypes) were observed sporadically. SARS-CoV-2 was observed consistently in 2021 after being first identified in December 2020. The proportion of participants with co-infections in 2021 (11.6%) was significantly higher than in 2019 (6.9%) or 2020 (7.7%). CONCLUSION: Declines in influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus were reversed once public health measures were lifted. Respiratory viruses contributed to a significant burden of respiratory infections in 2021. This study provides important information about respiratory viruses in this changing context and underrepresented region.