March 6th saw the formal launch of the research study to monitor the incidence of respiratory infection in Europe with the participation of 28 General Practioners (GPs) from the Verona municipality, representatives from the Local Health Authority ULSS9 under the coordination of Roberta Joppi and researchers from the Infectious Diseases Section of the Department of Diagnostics and Public Health of the University of Verona led by Evelina Tacconelli.
The study is sponsored by the European Clinical Research Alliance on Infectious Diseases (Ecraid) Foundation, in the Netherlands, in collaboration with the University of Oxford and is being conducted in the UK, France, Spain and Italy.
The study will focus in particular on people over 50, especially those with chronic respiratory diseases, and will investigate the incidence and impact of viruses such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human parainfluenza virus (HPIV), human metapneumovirus (HMPV) and rhinovirus (RV). Over the next 12 months, patients who present to their GPs with symptoms of acute respiratory infection will be invited to participate in the study. Participation consists of a simple nasal swab to identify the virus responsible, and a short questionnaire to monitor symptoms over the following 14 days. After about a month, the GP will contact the patient to assess his or her health status and collect information on any hospital visits. "The role of general practitioners is fundamental for scientific research and for improving patient care," emphasizes Dr. Joppi. "Respiratory infections are very common, and the results of this study will allow us to better understand how to manage them, to the benefit of citizens' health," concludes Prof. Tacconelli.
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