Frequency of Influenza Infection in Symptomatic Patients Suspected of Having COVID-19

Background and Aim: About one billion people have infected with the influenza A virus each year. The continued spread of SARS-CoV-2 especially in the winter season may increase the co-infection of SARS-CoV-2 with other respiratory viruses, which may worsen the severity of the disease and increase mortality. In respiratory infections, primary identification of the underlying source of infection is necessitated to find appropriate treatment and to improve individual patient management. Therefore, it is essential to accurately and immediately diagnose these two diseases. This study aimed to assess the frequency of influenza A, influenza B, and COVID-19 among individuals suspected of having a respiratory infection. Materials and Methods: In this study, 861 patients presenting from 19 November 2021 to 18 January 2022 in Kavosh medical laboratory (Golestan, Gorgan, Iran) with suspected viral respiratory tract infection who underwent RT-PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2/influenza were included. Data analysis was performed using appropriate descriptive statistics. Results Conclusion: A total of 184 patients were confirmed with COVID-19/influenza. 90 patients with COVID-19 (48.9%) and 94 patients (51.1%) with influenza (92 with influenza A and 2 with influenza B) were collected in the present study. The influenza/COVID-19 ratio was 1/0.95. Two cases of co-infection with COVID-19/influenza were observed. During the influenza season, the influenza/COVID-19 ratio in patients with suspected respiratory infection was 1/0.95. Patients with influenza were significantly younger than patients with COVID-19 and the proportion of males and females was not meaningfully different in the COVID-19 and influenza patients.