Dados do Trabalho

Título

Unveiling underdiagnosed viral pathogens in acute respiratory disease: insights from viral metagenomics in patients from the State of Alagoas, Brazil

Introdução

Respiratory illness affects individuals across all age demographics on a global scale, often precipitated by viral infections. The symptomatic manifestations of these diseases bear clinical resemblance, complicating the accurate determination of their etiological origins. Furthermore, the diagnostic panels for respiratory pathogens used within local medical practices, may not encompass the full spectrum of viral agents responsible for such ailments. Consequently, a significant number of clinically important viral pathogens may remain underdiagnosed. 

Objetivo (s)

The objective of this study was to apply viral metagenomics in samples obtained from patients with acute respiratory symptoms but negative for the locally used diagnostic respiratory panels. 

Material e Métodos

In the light of this, we conducted a viral metagenomic examination of 66 nasopharyngeal swab specimens, obtained from patients presenting with acute respiratory conditions yet tested negative by the standard diagnostic panels available locally. These specimens were obtained from the Public Health Laboratory, Maceio, State of Alagoas. 

Resultados e Conclusão

Our findings indicate a predominant underdiagnosis of rhinoviruses and notably prevalent enterovirus D68. Moreover, our study identified a substantial quantity of sequence reads attributed to human respirovirus 3 (human parainfluenza 3) along with various herpresviruses including human herpesvirus-1, Epstein-Barr virus (Human herpesvirus-4), Human herpesviruses 6 and 7 and human parvovirus B19 (B19V). Notably, the metagenomic analysis uncovered a widespread presence of the emerging human vientovirus FB in most of sample pools, though its clinical importance remains to be elucidated. The obtained results in this study underscore the invaluable role of viral metagenomics in the identification of underrecognized viruses bearing clinical relevance. Furthermore, it offers insights into the dissemination patterns of these pathogens within the studied area, thereby informing public health strategies aimed at enhancing diagnostic accuracy and improving patient care management.

Palavras Chave

Respiratory illness; Viral infections; Underdiagnosed pathogens; Metagenomics Brazil