Differential molecular detection of seasonal influenza A viruses in suspected patients of COVID-19

ackground: Seasonal influenza greatly affects the health of the community, resulting in many hospitalizations and, in some cases, even deaths. In our geographic area, obtaining accurate statistics on seasonal influenza infection rates has been challenging, particularly during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study is to investigate seasonal influenza virus infections in the community of Basrah, southern Iraq.Methods: A total of 820 nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from people with clear respiratory symptoms of different age groups, and of both sexes during the period from the 1st of October 2021 to the 1st of May 2022. This cross-sectional study included four important districts in the province of Basrah, which are the city center, Abulkhasib, Shatt Al Arab, and Al-Zubair. All samples were subjected to viral RNA extraction and detection by one-step RT-PCR using a pair of universal primers. Results: According to the results obtained, the total infection rate in the study areas reached 19.5%. There were no differences in infection rates between the sexes. The age groups of the study showed that the youngest group (1-9 years) recorded the highest infection rate (30.6%), while the group with the lowest infection rate was within the 40-49 age group, which was 16%. In addition, October and April showed the lowest number of infections compared to other months, which extended from November to the end of April. Conclusion: These results give a general picture of seasonal influenza infection rates in our geographical location, as there is an urgent need to update this information, especially during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.