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Introdução/Objetivo: Ao longo dos anos, a população humana teve que lidar com várias pandemias, incluindo as virais e não virais. A última foi a COVID-19, causada pelo vírus SARS-CoV-2, a qual se iniciou em dezembro de 2019 na China. Os estudos sobre a COVID-19 no Brasil foram predominantemente em grandes centros urbanos. No entanto, o planejamento de medidas de prevenção deve fazer parte de programas globais e também setoriais, uma vez que essa doença também atingiu pequenos municípios brasileiros. Assim, o presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a distribuição geográfica e as características epidemiológicas da infecção por SARS-CoV-2 em indivíduos residentes em um município com baixa densidade populacional no estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo retrospectivo e transversal, com coleta de dados a partir da ficha de notificação de COVID-19 registrada pela Vigilância Municipal de Saúde do município de Santos Dumont, Minas Gerais, Brasil, de março de 2020 a julho de 2021. Os pontos georreferenciados usados nas análises espaciais foram realizados considerando os dados de residência dos indivíduos. Este estudo foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa com Seres Humanos da Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (Número do Parecer: 4.138.128). Resultados: Do total de 8.271 indivíduos com suspeita de COVID-19 em Santos Dumont, 4.595 se declararam residentes no município, sendo que 3.446 testaram positivo para SARS-CoV-2 e 1.149 negativo. O mapa coroplético com a distribuição dos casos positivos mostrou que os maiores índices de infectados foram registrados na região central do município. A análise univariada não mostrou diferenças estatisticamente significativas para o desfecho quando analisados o sexo e a raça/cor dos indivíduos. Entretanto, destaca-se que a análise multivariada revelou maiores chances de infecção por SARS-CoV-2 associada aos indivíduos que não são profissionais de saúde (OR 2,042; IC95% 1,41-2,94). Conclusão: A região central, mais densa, do município apresentou maior vulnerabilidade ao contágio por SARS-CoV-2, sendo um importante fator relacionado a taxa de transmissão da doença, assim como entre os indivíduos que não são profissionais de saúde. Esses resultados podem ser usados como parâmetros na construção de políticas públicas de saúde visando o controle de futuras pandemias.

Introduction: During the first pandemic wave of the influenza A H1N1 2009 virus, morbidity was particularly high in Brazil. Hospitalizations resulting from severe respiratory disease due to suspected influenza-like illness created an opportunity to identify other respiratory viruses causing lower respiratory infections. Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess viral etiologies among samples collected during the first pandemic wave of H1N1 2009 from hospitalized patients with suspected cases in a Brazilian Sentinel Hospital. Patients and methods: Viral etiologies were investigated in samples from 98 children and 61 adults with fever, cough and dyspnea who were admitted to São Paulo Sentinel Hospital with suspected H1N1 infection. Results: From August to November 2009, in 19.5% (31/159) of the samples 2009 H1N1 virus was detected with 23% (14/61) in adults (median age 25 years, range: 14-55 years) and 18.4% (17/92) in children (median age 5 years, range: 4 months - 11 years). Among the negative samples, a wide range of causative etiologic agents was identified. Human rhinovirus was the most frequent virus (23.91%) in children and human metapneumovirus (11.48%) was the second most frequent in adults, following 2009 H1N1 virus (22.95%). Conclusions: These data highlight the need to diagnose other viral infections that can co-circulate with influenza and may have been neglected by physicians as causes of severe respiratory diseases. Keywords: influenza virus, influenza A H1N1 2009 virus, rhinovirus, human metapneumovirus, human respiratory syncytial virus, respiratory viruses

INTRODUCTION: During the first pandemic wave of the influenza A H1N1 2009 virus, morbidity was particularly high in Brazil. Hospitalizations resulting from severe respiratory disease due to suspected influenza-like illness created an opportunity to identify other respiratory viruses causing lower respiratory infections. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess viral etiologies among samples collected during the first pandemic wave of H1N1 2009 from hospitalized patients with suspected cases in a Brazilian Sentinel Hospital. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Viral etiologies were investigated in samples from 98 children and 61 adults with fever, cough and dyspnea who were admitted to São Paulo Sentinel Hospital with suspected H1N1 infection. RESULTS: From August to November 2009, in 19.5% (31/159) of the samples 2009 H1N1 virus was detected with 23% (14/61) in adults (median age 25 years, range: 14-55 years) and 18.4% (17/92) in children (median age 5 years, range: 4 months - 11 years). Among the negative samples, a wide range of causative etiologic agents was identified. Human rhinovirus was the most frequent virus (23.91%) in children and human metapneumovirus (11.48%) was the second most frequent in adults, following 2009 H1N1 virus (22.95%). CONCLUSION: These data highlight the need to diagnose other viral infections that can co-circulate with influenza and may have been neglected by physicians as causes of severe respiratory diseases.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in December 2019 and quickly spread around the world, forcing global health authorities to develop protocols for its diagnosis. Here we report dimer formation in the N2 primers–probe set (CDC 2019-nCoV Real-Time RT-PCR) used in the diagnostic routine, and propose alternatives to reduce dimerization events. Late unspecific amplifications were visualized in 56.4% of negative samples and 57.1% of no-template control, but not in positive samples or positive control. In silico analysis and gel electrophoresis confirmed the dimer formation. The RT-qPCR parameters were optimized and the late unspecific amplifications decreased to 11.5% in negative samples and no-template control. The adjustment of PCR parameters was essential to reduce the risk of false-positives results and to avoid inclusive results requiring repeat testing, which increases the costs and generates delays in results or even unnecessary requests for new samples.