Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the etiology and epidemiological trends of respiratory tract infections (RTIs) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia, focusing on age and seasonality. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 19,509 respiratory specimens collected from January 2021 to December 2022 at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, using the BioFire Filmarray Respiratory Panel 2.1 plus kit. RESULTS: Of the analyzed specimens, 53.3% (10,406) tested positive for at least one pathogen. Pediatric patients represented 72.5% of positive cases. Rhinovirus/enterovirus (32%) was the most prevalent, followed by SARS-CoV-2 (16%), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV; 13%), and adenovirus (10%). CONCLUSIONS: The study underscores the significant seasonality and age-specific prevalence of RTIs, with winter peaks and a high incidence of rhinovirus/enterovirus, SARS-CoV-2, RSV, and adenovirus. These results emphasize the necessity of ongoing surveillance and targeted public health interventions to manage RTIs effectively.