Viral respiratory infections and their co-occurrence among patients hospitalized in Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Babol, 2021-2024.

BACKGROUND: Vaccination has reduced the viral respiratory diseases in the community, but it has not ended. This study was conducted to determine the distribution of COVID-19, the influenza virus, and the human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). METHODS: This retrospective, descriptive-analytical study was conducted based on patient file information in Babol City (2021-2024). Clinical examination of the patient, computed tomography (CT), and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were used to identify the viruses in 10,567 patients. Mean, standard deviation (SD), distribution (%), and logistic regression were used to analyze the data using SPSS-23 (p<0.05). RESULTS: 83.34% and 16.65% of patients suffered from COVID-19 (12.95% ≥ 50 years old) and influenza (15.42%, ≤ 50 years old), respectively. The most underlying diseases were related to cardiovascular disease (17.47%). Female patients suspected of COVID-19 (females; 14.14% versus (vs) males; 11.87%) and influenza (females; 14.90% vs males; 15.62%) were more than male patients. COVID-19 (12.91%) and influenza (15.27%) in 2022 and 2023 showed a high distribution, respectively. Co-occurrence of COVID-19 and influenza was observed in one female. Gender, season, and year (each with a P-value of P=0.00) was associated in this descriptive analysis with the distribution of COVID-19. A significant relationship between season and year with the distribution of influenza was observed. CONCLUSION: A high distribution of COVID-19 was diagnosed among patients. Gender and year of study had a significant effect on COVID-19. Diagnosis and differentiation of the viral agent by molecular methods should be performed in a patient.