Co-Infection Rates between SARS-CoV-2 and RSV in Oropharyngeal, Nasopharyngeal Aspirate and Saliva Samples of COVID-19 Patients, Shiraz, South of Iran

Statement of the Problem: Determining the prevalence of respiratory viruses coinfection with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is essential to defining its true clinical influence. Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate co-infection rates between severe acute respiratory syndrome–related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in infected patients in Shiraz, south of Iran. Materials and Method: In a cross-sectional descriptive study, oropharyngeal, nasopharyn-geal aspirate (NPA), and saliva samples of 50 COVID-19 patients who were referred to Ali-Asghar hospital (Shiraz, Iran) from March to August 2020, were collected. A control group consisted of age and sex-matched healthy participants. The nasopharyngeal and oropharyn-geal aspirates were collected by sterile swabs. All cases were hospitalized, and all SARS-CoV-2 patients had a fever and respiratory symptoms. The samples were packed in a vial with 1 mL of transport medium and transported to the Valfagre specialty laboratory, where they were tested for RSV using a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: 100 nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal aspirates and saliva samples including 50 healthy controls (24 females, 26 males) and 50 COVID-19 patients samples (27 males and 23 females) were studied. There was no significant difference regarding age as well as gen-der between both groups (p 0.05). None of the healthy subjects was infected with RSV; however, 5(10%) patients from COVID-19 group were infected with the RSV virus. Chi-square test did not show a significant difference between RSV infection in COVID-19 pa-tients and healthy subjects. Conclusion: The outcome of present research showed that concurrent RSV with COVID 19 infection might be seen in hospitalized patients in Shiraz Southwest of Iran. For more relia-ble findings, further research on bigger populations, including more pathogens in several places around the country, and considering the severity of symptoms is required.