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

This study was an important first attempt to determine the molecular epidemiology and clinical symptoms of respiratory viruses circulating in Iranian military trainees. However, there are some limitations that should be noted. First, samples collection were performed completely during winter. So, the estimated prevalence rates of respiratory viruses in our study may not be representative of the actual value, and it is required to collect more data throughout four seasons of the year. Second, samples collection were conducted only from trainees stationed within one military base. Thus, further multi-center studies with larger sample size are strongly recommended to confirm our findings.