The molecular epidemiology of respiratory viruses in military trainees in Iran

Tavakoli, Ahmad; Karbalaie Niya, Mohammad Hadi; Bokharaei-Salim, Farah; Farahmand, Mohammad; Izadi, Morteza; Dorostkar, Ruhollah; Keyvani, Hossein

Previous studies have shown that adenoviruses, influenza A and B viruses, human coronaviruses, rhinoviruses, and at lower frequencies, respiratory syncytial viruses and human parainfluenza viruses are the most common viruses leading to respiratory infection in the military environment worldwide (1, 31). Similar to our results, respiratory syncytial virus was the main causative agent of acute febrile illness in the Republic of Korea Air Force boot camp from May to July 2011 (32). O'Shea et al. showed that among 54 British military recruits receiving basic training with respiratory symptoms, adenovirus, influenza viruses and respiratory syncytial virus were found in 35%, 19% and 14%, respectively (33). It is notable that among influenza viruses, influenza B was more associated with symptomatic infections, which was consistent with our findings. In a large study in the Singapore military population (13), viral etiology of respiratory illnesses was investigated among 7733 cases of febrile respiratory illness (FRI) using the multiplex PCR. Their results have indicated that 49% of cases were positive for viral infection and the most commonly detected viruses among FRI cases were influenza A H1N1(13%), influenza B (13%), and coxsackievirus (9%).