1887
  1. Home
  2. A-Z Publications
  3. Qatar Medical Journal
  4. Volume 2024, Issue 3
  5. Article
Volume 2024, Issue 3
  • ISSN: 0253-8253
  • EISSN: 2227-0426

Abstract

Background: Severe acute respiratory tract infections (SARI) pose a health threat to children and adults worldwide. The SARI surveillance program was initiated in 2018 in Bahrain to monitor the activity of respiratory pathogens. Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) was chosen as the sentinel site for the SARI surveillance program. This study aimed to describe the epidemiology of SARI patients admitted to SMC from 2018 to 2022.

Methods: Patients meeting the World Health Organization definition of SARI and presenting with cough and fever within the last 10 days and admitted to SMC from January 2018 until December 2022 were included in the study. Epidemiological data on SARI cases were collected from SARI surveillance data and analyzed using SPSS version 25 and Excel.

Results: A total of 1362 SARI cases were enrolled from January 2018 to the end of December 2022; the majority were males (57.7%, 786). The highest SARI incidence rates were recorded among individuals over 65 years old (155.5 per 100,000) in 2021 and among those under 5 years old (887 per 100,000) in 2020. About half of the patients had at least one comorbidity (54.0%, 735), with diabetes (23.0%, 313) and hypertension (17.2%, 234) being the most common. The highest number of cases was observed in 2021 (27%, 373), followed by 2018 (20%, 267). A viral pathogen was detected in 30.7% (418) of the SARI patients. The most prevalent pathogen was influenza A (11.5%, 156), followed by SARS-CoV-2 (9.7%, 132), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (5.1%, 69), and influenza B (3.9%, 53). The highest percentage of SARI cases was recorded in the winter months, mainly January (17%, 236). The percentages of influenza A and RSV cases were highest in December, at 22% (39) and 14% (25), respectively. Influenza B cases were recorded predominantly in March (9%, 11).

Conclusion: The incidence of SARI was highest among patients above 65 years old. The majority had comorbidities. Influenza and respiratory syncytial viruses were the most frequent causes of SARI, with influenza A being the most prevalent. December and January were the months with the highest SARI cases and viral detection rates. Promoting vaccination, timely testing, and prompt treatment, especially for the elderly and those with comorbidities, is key to reducing SARI-related morbidity and mortality, especially during peak seasons.

© 2024 Sayyad, Mohamed, Alajaimi, Matar, Hasan, Aldolabi, et al., Licensee HBKU Press.
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.5339/qmj.2024.25
2024-08-06
2025-01-24
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/qmj/2024/3/qmj.2024.25.html?itemId=/content/journals/10.5339/qmj.2024.25&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Types of influenza viruses. CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/viruses/types.htm. Accessed: April 6, 2023.
     [Google Scholar]
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 1918 Pandemic (H1N1 virus) | Pandemic influenza (Flu) CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/1918-pandemic-h1n1.html. Accessed: December 18, 2022.
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 1968 Pandemic (H3N2 virus) | Pandemic influenza (Flu) CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/1968-pandemic.html. Accessed: December 18, 2022.
     [Google Scholar]
  4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 1957–1958 Pandemic (H2N2 virus) | Pandemic influenza (Flu) CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/1957-1958-pandemic.html. Accessed: December 18, 2022.
     [Google Scholar]
  5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2009 H1N1 Pandemic (H1N1pdm09 virus) | Pandemic influenza (Flu) CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/2009-h1n1-pandemic.html. Accessed: April 6, 2023.
     [Google Scholar]
  6. Moghadami M. A narrative review of influenza: A seasonal and pandemic disease. Iran J Med Sci. 2017; 42:2–13.
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Health Professions Division. Harrison’s principles of internal medicine. 20th ed. New York (NY):McGraw-Hill;2018.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Uyeki TM. Influenza. Ann Intern Med. 2021; 174:ITC161–76.
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Iuliano AD, Roguski KM, Chang HH, Muscatello DJ, Palekar R, Tempia S, et al.. Estimates of global seasonal influenza-associated respiratory mortality: A modelling study. Lancet. 2018; 391:1285.
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Cox NJ, Subbarao K. Influenza. Lancet. 1999; 354:1277–82.
    [Google Scholar]
  11. Cowling BJ, Chan KH, Fang VJ, Lau LLH, So HC, Fung ROP, et al.. Comparative epidemiology of pandemic and seasonal influenza A in households. N Engl J Med. 2010; 362:2175–84.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Treanor JJ. BJDRBM (Eds). Principles and practice of infectious diseases. 8th ed.Philadelphia:Elsevier Saunders;2015.
    [Google Scholar]
  13. World Health Organization. Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework. https://www.who.int/initiatives/pandemic-influenza-preparedness-framework. Accessed: April 6, 2023.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. World Health Organization. World Health Organization global epidemiological surveillance standards for influenza. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241506601. Accessed: January 20, 2024.
     [Google Scholar]
  15. Kingdom of Bahrain. About Bahrain. https://www.bahrain.bh/wps/portal/en/BNP/AboutTheKingdom/AboutBahrain/!ut/p/z1/04_Sj9CPykssy0xPLMnMz0vMAfIjo8ziDT1NDTwsnA0MPPwCXAzM_D0szI3MnYz9A431w1EVGIaEGhgEhnk6Bvm7uRgamBjqRxGj3wAHcDQgTj8eBVH4jQ_Xj0K1As0H3gYEFIC8SMiS4MQi_YLc0NAIg8yAdEdFRQB75CVK/dz/d5/L0lHSkpZQSEhL3dMTUFGa0FFa0EhIS80TlZFL2Vu/. Accessed: March 18, 2024.
     [Google Scholar]
  16. Abuzeyad F, Alqasem L, Al Farras MI, Al Jawder SS, Al Qasim G, Alghanem S. Emergency medicine in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Int J Emerg Med. 2018; 13:(1):20. doi: 10.1186/s12245-018-0163-1
     [Google Scholar]
  17. Ministry of Health. Secondary Health Care—Ministry of Health. https://www.moh.gov.bh/Services/SecondaryHealthCare. Accessed: January 13, 2024.
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Ministry of Health, State of Bahrain. Admissions – A Handbook. Quality Control Unit, Medical Record Department, Salmaniya Medical Complex; 2001. Available from: https://www.moh.gov.bh/Content/Files/HealthInstitution/SMC_admission.pdf
     [Google Scholar]
  19. Muhemedi S, Lusamba P, Nkwembe E, Lubula L, Manya L, Babakazo P, et al.. Epidemiological, clinical and virological profiles of influenza infection in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, from 2009 to 2018. Open J Epidemiol. 2022; 12:329–42.
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Soudani S, Mafi A, Al Mayahi Z, Al Balushi S, Dbaibo G, Al Awaidy S, et al.. A systematic review of influenza epidemiology and surveillance in the eastern Mediterranean and North African region. Infect Dis Ther. 2022; 11:15–52.
    [Google Scholar]
  21. World Health Organization. Global influenza programme. https://www.who.int/teams/global-influenza-programme/surveillance-and-monitoring/case-definitions-for-ili-and-sari. Accessed: December 18, 2022.
    [Google Scholar]
  22. Kingdom of Bahrain. Bahrain Open Data Portal, Home Page. https://www.data.gov.bh/. Accessed: April 7, 2023.
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc. FTD Respiratory Pathogens 21 Assay—Siemens Healthineers. https://www.siemens-healthineers.com/molecular-diagnostics/molecular-diagnostics-in-vitro-diagnostics/ftd-respiratory-pathogens-21-assay. Accessed: January 15, 2024.
    [Google Scholar]
  24. World Health Organization. WHO global influenza surveillance network manual for the laboratory diagnosis and virological surveillance of influenza.
    [Google Scholar]
  25. Fisher D, Hui DS, Gao Z, Lee C, Oh MD, Cao B, et al.. Pandemic response lessons from influenza H1N1 2009 in Asia. Respirology. 2011; 16:876–82.
    [Google Scholar]
  26. World Health Organization. World Health Organization global epidemiological surveillance standards for influenza. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241506601. Accessed: December 18, 2022.
    [Google Scholar]
  27. Elhakim M, Hafiz Rasooly M, Fahim M, Sheikh Ali S, Haddad N, Cherkaoui I, et al.. Epidemiology of severe cases of influenza and other acute respiratory infections in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, July 2016 to June 2018. J Infect Public Health. 2020; 13:423–9.
    [Google Scholar]
  28. Elhakim MM, Kandil SK, Abd Elaziz KM, Anwar WA. Epidemiology of severe acute respiratory infection (sari) cases at a sentinel site in Egypt, 2013–15. J Public Health (Oxf). 2020; 42:525–33.
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Boussarsar MI, Ennouri EI, Habbachi N, Bouguezzi N, Meddeb K, Gallas S, et al.. Epidemiology and burden of severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) in the aftermath of COVID-19 pandemic: A prospective sentinel surveillance study in a Tunisian Medical ICU, 2022/2023. Epub ahead of print 2023. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294960
     [Google Scholar]
  30. Li JI, Song C-L, Wang T, Ye YL, Du JR, Li SH, et al.. Etiological and epidemiological characteristics of severe acute respiratory infection caused by multiple viruses and Mycoplasma pneumoniae in adult patients in Jinshan, Shanghai: A pilot hospital-based surveillance study. Epub ahead of print 2021. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248750
     [Google Scholar]
  31. Le Nguyen HK, Nguyen SV, Nguyen AP, Hoang PMV, Le TT, Nguyen TC, et al.. Surveillance of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) for hospitalized patients in Northern Vietnam, 2011-2014. Jpn J Infect Dis. 2017; 70:(5):522–7.
    [Google Scholar]
  32. Fica A, Sotomayor V, Fasce R, Dabanch J, Soto A, Charpentier P, et al.. Severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) from influenza in adult patients in Chile: The experience of a sentinel hospital. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 43. Epub ahead of print 2019. doi: 10.26633/RPSP.2019.1
     [Google Scholar]
  33. Grunberg M, Sno R, Adhin MR. Epidemiology of respiratory viruses in patients with severe acute respiratory infections and influenza-like illness in Suriname. Influenza Other Respir Viruses. 2021; 15:72–80.
    [Google Scholar]
  34. Baumgartner EA, Dao CN, Nasreen S, Bhuiyan MU, Mah-E-Muneer S, Al Mamun A, et al.. Seasonality, timing, and climate drivers of influenza activity worldwide. J Infect Dis. 2012; 206:838–46.
    [Google Scholar]
  35. Chakhunashvili G, Wagner AL, Power LE, Janusz CB, Machablishvili A, Karseladze I, et al.. Severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) sentinel surveillance in the country of Georgia, 2015–2017. PLoS One. 2018; 13:e0201497.
    [Google Scholar]
  36. Chadha MS, Potdar VA, Saha S, Koul PA, Broor S, Dar L, et al.. Dynamics of influenza seasonality at sub-regional levels in India and implications for vaccination timing. PLoS One. 2015; 10:e0124122.
    [Google Scholar]
  37. Salman M, Badar N, Ikram A, Nisar N, Farooq U. Estimation of seasonal influenza disease burden using sentinel site data in Pakistan 2017–2019: A cross-sectional study. Influenza Other Respir Viruses. 17. Epub ahead of print 1 March 2023. doi: 10.1111/IRV.13125
     [Google Scholar]
  38. Wansaula Z, Olsen SJ, Casal MG, Golenko C, Erhart LM, Kammerer P, et al.. Surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections in Southern Arizona, 2010–2014. Influenza Other Respir Viruses. 2016; 10:161–9.
    [Google Scholar]
  39. Ezzine H, Cherkaoui I, Rguig A, Oumzil H, Mrabet M, Bimouhen A, et al.. Influenza epidemiology and risk factors for severe acute respiratory infection in Morocco during the seasons. Epub ahead of print 2016. doi: 10.11604/pamj.2020.36.159.21239
     [Google Scholar]
  40. Bhat YR. Influenza B infections in children: A review. World J Clin Pediatr. 2020; 9:44–52.
    [Google Scholar]
  41. Kingdom of Bahrain. Population—Bahrain open data portal. https://www.data.gov.bh/explore/dataset/03-mid-year-population-by-nationality-and-sex/table/?disjunctive.sex&sort=-year. Accessed: January 13, 2024.
     [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.5339/qmj.2024.25
Loading
Severe acute respiratory infections: An epidemiological analysis of surveillance data in Bahrain, 2018–2022
Qatar Medical Journal 2024, 25 (2024); https://doi.org/10.5339/qmj.2024.25
/content/journals/10.5339/qmj.2024.25
/content/journals/10.5339/qmj.2024.25
Loading

Data & Media loading...

  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): Bahrain, epidemiology, Influenza, respiratory syncytial virus and severe acute respiratory infections

Most Cited Most Cited RSS feed

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error