Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and the United States are some of the countries that have seen an increase in the circulation of certain respiratory diseases such as covid, influenza (swine flu) and syncytial virus. This, unofficially and outside of medical terms, has been called “tripendemic,” and would be associated with the low immunization achieved during the period of the pandemic, between 2020 and 2021.
The increase in respiratory viruses and the occupation of health centers due to these diseases is not only a problem in Chile, but also worries other countries, where even It has been called a “triplendemic”.
It turns out that the conjunction of three different viruses They arrived on different dates and times than we are used to, mainly due to the lack of immunization during the covid-19 pandemic.
What is the so-called “tripendemia”?
Countries like Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Brazil, in the southern hemisphere, and the United States, in the north, are seeing a sharp increase in respiratory diseases. Therefore, in North America warned of the so-called “tripendemia”non-medical or official term, used to describe the difficult time of health.
As reported by BBCon the basis of the latest epidemiological data from the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) in the aforementioned locations there are three diseases that have once again filled the hospitals, in particular the pediatric areas.
Specifically, these are three different diseases; on the one hand, it continues covid and its variants, less lethal, but more contagious. It also circulates influenza A, with two different variants causing the so-called swine flu. These are complemented by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)one of the most common infections in children under 2 years of age.
United States on alert
The prevalence of this “tripendemia”, worries the US authorities about the increase in employment in health centers and pediatric care beds. This is mainly due to the onset of the cold season in the Northern Hemisphere, where they appear sideways in late autumn and early winter.
In his opinion New York Times“A dramatic and unusually early rise in RSV, an infection that obstructs the airways, is overloading pediatric units in the United States, causing long waits for treatment and forcing hospital systems to reorganize staff and resources to meet the request”.
On the other hand, the swine flu also disrupts the treatment plans prepared by the North Americans. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this is the worst fall season for this disease since the H1N1 pandemic in 2009.
Meanwhile, in Chile and Argentina, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), an increase in influenza A occurred, with two variants of swine flu circulating simultaneously: H3N2 and H1N1.
But in Uruguay and Brazil, the most common virus at this time of year is HRV.
Why have we reached a “triplendemic”?
The nearly two-year pandemic caused by covid-19 could be the main factor in the “tripendemic” we are witnessing, experts told the BBC.
According to Argentine pediatrician Gustavo Pueta, between 2020 and 2021 the coronavirus led to what is known as an “epidemiological niche”, being practically the only virus that has circulated.
“When circulation dropped, thanks to vaccines, all the viruses that are usually present during the year exploded exponentially,” explained the professional, who added that there is low immunity (especially in children). , caused by social distancing measures.
