Detection of Respiratory Viruses in Deceased Persons, Spain, 2017

Abstract

During the 2016–17 influenza season in Spain, we tested specimens from 57 elderly deceased persons for respiratory viruses. Influenza viruses were detected in 18% of the specimens and any respiratory virus in 47%. Only 7% of participants had received a diagnosis of infection with the detected virus before death.

Keywords

• Influenza
• respiratory virus
• respiratory syncytial virus
• coronavirus
• mortality
• cause of death