Respiratory Viral Co‐Infections in SARS‐CoV‐2 Positive Patients in Burkina Faso: A Cross‐Sectional Study

[en] ABSTRACT Background The burden of viral co‐infections among COVID‐19 patients is underexplored in low‐resource settings such as Burkina Faso. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of respiratory viral co‐infections among laboratory‐confirmed COVID‐19 patients. Methods A cross‐sectional study was conducted from January 1 to December 31, 2023, across 13 sentinel sites in Burkina Faso. Patients presenting with influenza‐like illness or severe acute respiratory infection had nasopharyngeal and/or oropharyngeal swabs collected and tested for SARS‐CoV‐2 and other respiratory viruses using multiplex real‐time RT‐PCR. Descriptive statistics, univariate, and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of viral co‐infections. Results Among 201 SARS‐CoV‐2‐positive patients enrolled (median age: 1 year; interquartile range: 0.5–7). Co‐infections was identified in 48.8% (95% CI: 41.8–55.6) of cases and a single co‐infections was detected in 33.8% (95% CI: 27.5–40.6) of patients. Human rhinovirus (17.9%), adenovirus (14.4%), respiratory syncytial virus (11.4%), and influenza A/B (9.9%) were most frequently detected. In multivariate analysis, children aged 6 months to 14 years had higher odds of co‐infection (aOR 2.7; 95% CI: 1.2–5.9; p = 0.013). Fever (aOR 2.6; 95% CI: 1.3–5.5; p = 0.008) and hospitalization (aOR 4.3; 95% CI: 1.6–12.0; p = 0.005) were also independently associated with co‐infection. Conclusion Viral co‐infections were frequent among SARS‐CoV‐2 positive patients, particularly in children and hospitalized individuals. Strengthening multiplex diagnostic capacity and integrated respiratory virus surveillance in resource‐limited settings may improve clinical management and inform public health response strategies.

Disciplines :

Laboratory medicine & medical technology

Author, co-author :

Kaboré, Benjamin W. O. ; Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé‐Laboratoire National de Référence Grippe Ouagadougou Kadiogo Burkina Faso ; Département de Biochimie‐Microbiologie, UFR‐SVT Université Nazi Boni Bobo‐Dioulasso Burkina Faso

Gouba, Nina ; Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé‐Laboratoire National de Référence Grippe Ouagadougou Kadiogo Burkina Faso ; Département de Biochimie‐Microbiologie, UFR‐SVT Université Nazi Boni Bobo‐Dioulasso Burkina Faso

Ilboudo, Abdoul Kader ; Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé‐Laboratoire National de Référence Grippe Ouagadougou Kadiogo Burkina Faso

Cissé, Assana ; Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé‐Laboratoire National de Référence Grippe Ouagadougou Kadiogo Burkina Faso

Lingani, Moussa ; Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé‐Direction Régionale du Centre‐Ouest Nanoro Nando Burkina Faso

Sawadogo, Cathérine ; Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé‐Laboratoire National de Référence Grippe Ouagadougou Kadiogo Burkina Faso

Ouédraogo, Ezéchiel Wendinda ; Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé‐Laboratoire National de Référence Grippe Ouagadougou Kadiogo Burkina Faso

Ouoba, Jean Bienvenue ; Centre Universitaire polytechnique de Manga Nazinon Burkina Faso

Savadogo, Madi ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals and Health (FARAH) ; Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé‐Laboratoire National de Référence Grippe Ouagadougou Kadiogo Burkina Faso ; Direction Générale des Services Vétérinaires, Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Ressources Animales et Halieutiques Ouagadougou Kadiogo Burkina Faso

Tarnagda, Zékiba ; Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé‐Laboratoire National de Référence Grippe Ouagadougou Kadiogo Burkina Faso

Language :

English

Title :

Respiratory Viral Co‐Infections in SARS‐CoV‐2 Positive Patients in Burkina Faso: A Cross‐Sectional Study

Publication date :

06 April 2026

Journal title :

Health Science Reports

eISSN :

2398-8835

Publisher :

Wiley

Volume :

Issue :

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Additional URL :

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/hsr2.72339

Available on ORBi :

since 18 April 2026

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