Decadal Trends of Respiratory Viruses in Gwangju, South Korea (2014-2023)

Background: Respiratory viral infections are emerging as a global concern beyond local communities.Monitoring systems for eight respiratory viruses that cause periodic infections in communities are being implemented in several South Korean regions, including Gwangju.In this study, we aimed to analyze the 10-year detection rate of respiratory viruses in the Gwangju area using surveillance system information.Methods: Real-Time RT-PCR was performed for each respiratory virus, samples from pediatric and otolaryngology patients in Gwangju (2014Gwangju ( -2023) ) were analyzed for respiratory viruses.The Korea Influenza and Respiratory Viruses Surveillance System (KINRESS) was the primary surveillance framework for this study.Results: Respiratory virus detection rates in Gwangju followed the characteristics observed in typical Western Pacific Regions.While the seasonal nature of the virus was prominent, these characteristics disappeared during the COVID-19 pandemic.Enveloped viruses were prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the detection rate of other respiratory viruses was significantly lower.In addition, the types and patterns of virus subtypes observed before the COVID-19 pandemic were altered for human coronavirus and respiratory syncytial virus.Influenza A and B showed distinct circulation patterns, with influenza A peaking biennially and influenza B annually.Notably, A/H3N2 and A/(H1N1)pdm09 subtypes followed 2-year and 1-year cycles, respectively.This pattern was observed only before the COVID-19 pandemic, and its return post-pandemic remains uncertain.Conclusions: The findings demonstrate the significance of collecting fundamental data for the prevention and management of respiratory viral infection via such long-term studies.