A Preliminary Study on the Frequency of Influenza Infections during the Early 2022 Amid COVID-19 Epidemic in Libya

Abstract

Background At the time of conducting this study, we were at the peak of the influenza season, and influenza vaccinations were not readily accessible throughout the country. Thus, predisposing many high-risk individuals to influenza infections in a time when coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was also highly circulating, and the emerging Omicron variant of concern was peaking in many countries worldwide.

Materials and Methods We conducted a brief survey to prospectively estimate the frequency of influenza A and B and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) in samples received at our laboratories at Libyan Biotechnology Research Center, Tripoli, Libya, between December 1, 2021, and January 31, 2022, for patients complaining of respiratory symptoms using a multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test for SARS-COV-2, influenza A and B, and RSV.

Results We analyzed nasopharyngeal swabs in viral transport media from 2,186 samples. About 27% (589/2186) of study patients tested positive for SARS-COV-2, 2.8% (61/2186) were positive for influenza A virus, 0.18% (4/2186) for influenza B virus, and 1.4% (31/2186) tested positive for RSV.

Conclusions These results revealed that along with COVID-19, influenza infections were also rising. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the most significant concern is the development of an influenza outbreak in the upcoming months. Therefore, continuing annual influenza vaccination is critical to increasing population immunity. National influenza surveillance and testing should also be conducted. Furthermore, sequencing and antigenic characterization should be performed regularly. There is a need for continuous monitoring in national laboratories to detect any zoonotic cases and substantial viral evolution.

Keywords

influenza vaccination - COVID-19 - surveillance - influenza activity - Libya

Authors' Contributions

Inas M Alhudiri and Zakarya Abusrewil conceptualized and designed the study. Saad R Saad, Asel Omar Amer, Mohamed Nasir Bin Abdallah, Mohamed Mustafa Elghazal, and Mohamed Hamed Said helped in data collection. Fawzi O. Ebrahim, Mohamed S Abusanina, Mohammed Ben Elfghi, and Mohamed Musbah Abdusalam were involved in laboratory analysis. Salah Edin El Meshri, Fawzi O. Ebrahim, and Inas M Alhudiri contributed to data analysis and interpretation. Inas M Alhudiri and Zakarya Abusrewil wrote the manuscript. Adam Elzagheid edited and revised the manuscript.

Compliance with Ethical Principles

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants followed the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. This study was approved by the Libyan Biotechnology Research Center Bioethics Committee (Ref No. BEC-BTRC 8–2020).

Publication History

Article published online:
06 January 2023

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