Spatial and temporal transmission dynamics of respiratory syncytial virus in New Zealand before and after the COVID-19 pandemic

Lauren Jelley, Jordan Douglas, Meaghan O’Neill, Klarysse Berquist, Ana Claasen, Jing Wang, Srushti Utekar, Helen Johnston, Judy Bocacao, Margot Allais, Joep Ligt, Chor Ee Tan, Ruth Seeds, Tim Wood, Nayyereh Aminisani, Tineke Jennings, David Welch, Nikki Turner, Peter McIntyre, Tony Dowell, Adrian Trenholme, Cass Byrnes, Paul Thomas, Richard Webby, Nigel French, Q. Sue Huang, David Winter and Jemma L. Geoghegan ()
Additional contact information
Lauren Jelley: Institute of Environmental Science and Research
Jordan Douglas: University of Auckland
Meaghan O’Neill: Institute of Environmental Science and Research
Klarysse Berquist: Institute of Environmental Science and Research
Ana Claasen: Institute of Environmental Science and Research
Jing Wang: Institute of Environmental Science and Research
Srushti Utekar: Institute of Environmental Science and Research
Helen Johnston: Institute of Environmental Science and Research
Judy Bocacao: Institute of Environmental Science and Research
Margot Allais: Institute of Environmental Science and Research
Joep Ligt: Institute of Environmental Science and Research
Chor Ee Tan: Institute of Environmental Science and Research
Ruth Seeds: Institute of Environmental Science and Research
Tim Wood: Institute of Environmental Science and Research
Nayyereh Aminisani: Institute of Environmental Science and Research
Tineke Jennings: Coast and Hutt Valley
David Welch: University of Auckland
Nikki Turner: University of Auckland
Peter McIntyre: University of Otago
Tony Dowell: University of Otago
Adrian Trenholme: Te Whatu Ora—Health New Zealand Counties Manukau
Cass Byrnes: Te Whatu Ora—Health New Zealand Counties Manukau
Paul Thomas: St Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Richard Webby: St Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Nigel French: Massey University
Q. Sue Huang: Institute of Environmental Science and Research
David Winter: Institute of Environmental Science and Research
Jemma L. Geoghegan: Institute of Environmental Science and Research

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of acute respiratory infection. In 2020, RSV was eliminated from New Zealand due to non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) used to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2. However, in 2021, following a brief quarantine-free travel agreement with Australia, there was a large-scale nationwide outbreak of RSV that led to reported cases more than five-times higher than typical seasonal patterns. We generated 1470 viral genomes of both RSV-A and RSV-B sampled between 2015–2022 from across New Zealand. Using a phylodynamics approach, we used these data to better understand RSV transmission patterns in New Zealand prior to 2020, and how RSV became re-established in the community following the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions. We found that in 2021, there was a large epidemic of RSV due to an increase in importations, leading to several large genomic clusters of both RSV-A ON1 and RSV-B BA9 genotypes. However, while a number of viral importations were detected, there was also a major reduction in RSV genetic diversity compared to pre-pandemic years. These data reveal the impact of NPI used during the COVID-19 pandemic on other respiratory infections and highlight the important insights that can be gained from viral genomes.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-53998-5

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