Lessons from SARS-CoV-2 Pandemics: How Restrictive Measures Impacted the Trend of Respiratory Infections in Neonates and Infants up to Three Months of Age
Domenico Umberto De Rose,
Stefano Caoci,
Cinzia Auriti,
Chiara Maddaloni,
Irma Capolupo,
Guglielmo Salvatori,
Carla Brusco,
Luana Coltella,
Carlo Concato,
Cristina Russo,
Luna Colagrossi,
Carlo Federico Perno,
Annabella Braguglia,
Alberto Villani,
Andrea Dotta,
Massimiliano Raponi
Affiliations
Domenico Umberto De Rose
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Medical and Surgical Department of Fetus, Newborn and Infant, “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy
Stefano Caoci
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Medical and Surgical Department of Fetus, Newborn and Infant, “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy
Cinzia Auriti
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Medical and Surgical Department of Fetus, Newborn and Infant, “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy
Chiara Maddaloni
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Medical and Surgical Department of Fetus, Newborn and Infant, “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy
Irma Capolupo
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Medical and Surgical Department of Fetus, Newborn and Infant, “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy
Guglielmo Salvatori
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Medical and Surgical Department of Fetus, Newborn and Infant, “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy
Carla Brusco
Medical Direction, “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy
Luana Coltella
Microbiology and Diagnostic Immunology Unit, Department of Diagnostic and Laboratory Medicine, “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy
Carlo Concato
Microbiology and Diagnostic Immunology Unit, Department of Diagnostic and Laboratory Medicine, “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy
Cristina Russo
Microbiology and Diagnostic Immunology Unit, Department of Diagnostic and Laboratory Medicine, “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy
Luna Colagrossi
Microbiology and Diagnostic Immunology Unit, Department of Diagnostic and Laboratory Medicine, “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy
Carlo Federico Perno
Microbiology and Diagnostic Immunology Unit, Department of Diagnostic and Laboratory Medicine, “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy
Annabella Braguglia
Neonatal Sub-Intensive Care Unit and Follow-Up, Medical and Surgical Department of Fetus, Newborn and Infant, “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy
Alberto Villani
General Pediatric Unit, Pediatric Emergency and General Pediatric Department, “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy
Andrea Dotta
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Medical and Surgical Department of Fetus, Newborn and Infant, “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy
Massimiliano Raponi
Medical Direction, “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy
(1) Background: Massive social efforts to prevent the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic have affected the epidemiological features of respiratory infections. (2) Methods: The study aims to describe the trend of hospitalizations for bronchiolitis among newborns and infants up to three months of life in Rome (Italy), in the pre-COVID-19 era and during the pandemic. (3) Results: We observed a marked decrease in the number of neonates and infants with bronchiolitis after national lockdowns in 2020 and the first months of 2021 and a similar trend in the number of bronchiolitis caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). RSV was the leading pathogen responsible for bronchiolitis before the national lockdown in March 2020 (70.0% of cases), while Rhinovirus was the leading pathogen responsible for bronchiolitis (62.5%) during the pandemic while strict restrictions were ongoing. As Italy approached the COVID-19 vaccination target, the national government lifted some COVID-19-related restrictions. A surprising rebound of bronchiolitis (particularly cases caused by RSV) was observed in October 2021. (4) Conclusions: In this study, we describe for the first time the fluctuations over time of RSV bronchiolitis among newborns and young infants in Italy in relation to the restrictive measures containing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results are in line with other countries’ reports.
