At the 2023 AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo, scientists will present new data about rates of co-infections with SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the United States, providing one of the first snapshots of the interplay among these common but potentially deadly viruses. Their work could lead to better diagnosis and patient management for all three illnesses.
The research, which garnered results from more than 26,000 respiratory tests of U.S. adults and children in late 2022, found co-infections in more than 1% of positive samples. Co-infections were especially widespread among those under the age of 21. The findings could have implications for how clinicians approach respiratory disease testing during future epidemics and seasonal outbreaks.