Unveiling the viral aetiologies of lower respiratory infections

Lower respiratory infections (LRIs) are the leading infectious cause of morbidity and mortality globally.1 The 2019 iteration of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) highlighted the major progress in reducing the incidence and mortality of LRI over the past three decades, from 1990 to 2019. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, changes in the epidemiology of multiple causes of LRI, particularly viral LRIs such as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), have been reported,2 most likely a result of implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions, an evolving ecosystem of respiratory pathogens, and modified contact patterns.