Study: High Prevalence of Respiratory Virus in Missouri School District
A recent Pediatrics study revealed that a majority of students and staff in a Missouri school district tested positive for a respiratory virus at least once during the school year.
Study Overview
The Knowledge of Infectious Diseases in Schools study involved 816 participants from the North Kansas City Public School District, including 590 students and 226 staff members. The student group consisted of 31 pre-K students, 350 elementary, 124 middle, and 85 high schoolers. Among staff, 88.1% were women, and 49% of students were girls.
Data Collection
Between October 31, 2022, and May 26, 2023, participants submitted nasal swabs monthly and whenever they exhibited at least one symptom of acute respiratory illness. The median number of swabs per participant was seven, with an interquartile range of six to eight.
Significance of Findings
“There is a lot to learn about respiratory viruses outside of the medical setting, and surveillance programs in the community — specifically in schools — can help us better understand the global impact of acute respiratory illness and respiratory virus detection,” Jennifer L. Goldman, MD, MS, professor of pediatrics at Children’s Mercy in Kansas City, Missouri, told Healio.
Implications
- School-based surveillance is vital for understanding respiratory virus spread in community settings.
- Regular testing helps capture asymptomatic and symptomatic cases among students and staff.
- Findings underscore the importance of monitoring acute respiratory illnesses to guide public health efforts.
Author's Summary: This study highlights the extensive presence of respiratory viruses in school communities and the crucial role of routine surveillance in understanding and managing these infections.