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Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and influenza viruses produce a wide range of clinical disease severity, which varies from asymptomatic infection to death. The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Wuhan, Hubei, China, followed a seasonal influenza pandemic. The prevalence of influenza has changed since the outbreak of COVID-19. In this study, we have compared the prevalence of influenza and COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic. Clinical symptoms were also assessed among patients. Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted in a single center on 229456 patients with the SARS in Hormozgan province, Iran, during 2019-2021 before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinical features including age, sex, fever, cough, shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness, headache, body aches, and diarrhea were also analyzed. Results: The results indicated that out of a total of 229456 samples of patients, 71142 (31.00%) and 527 (.22%) cases were diagnosed with positive COVID-19 and positive influenza, respectively. Influenza activity decreased in March 2020 and remained low until September 2021, but it increased to near pre-pandemic seasonal levels since October 2021. The outbreak of influenza decreased by starting the restrictions and health protocols. Furthermore, the analysis of patients’ symptoms indicated that the most prevalent symptoms in influenza patients were fever, cough, and body pain, while the symptoms in COVID-19 patients were cough and headache. Conclusion: Social restrictions and adherence to health protocols could significantly reduce the incidence of seasonal influenza even after controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. Influenza and COVID-19 have similar symptoms in patients, so diagnostic tests are necessary for proper diagnosis and management.

Smoking is a well-known major risk factor for respiratory tract and other systemic infections. The World Health Organization estimates that between 2000 and 2025, about 9% of deaths will be caused by tobacco use, and more than half of all smokers die from smoking-related diseases. Smoking can damage almost all organs of the human body and is a major risk factor for respiratory infections and other infectious diseases. Smoking can increase the risk of respiratory infections through various mechanisms, which include changes in the structural, functional, and immune defenses of the host. Smoking is one of the most serious public health problems in the world. Promoting smoking cessation is the most practical and economical preventive measure to reduce the severity of tobacco-related infections. In this study, we investigated the role of smoking in increasing the risk of bacterial, fungal, viral, and parasitic infections. We also evaluated various mechanisms by which smoking increases the risk of tobacco-related infections.

Background: To promote mitigation strategies and public health response, this study aimed to evaluate the population-based seroprevalence of anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies in Hormozgan province. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted within 10 districts of Hormozgan province with 1325 participants for three months by considering three-month successive follow-ups to evaluate the durability of humoral immunity. The participants completed the questionnaire, and blood samples were taken followed by immunoassay SARS-CoV-2 ELISA testing. Results: In general, 717 (54.1%) males and 596 (45.9%) females participated in this study. In phase one, 147 (11.1%) and 182 (14.7%) tested positive for immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG, respectively. Upon three months, 13.8% and 17.8% tested positive for IgG and at least for one of the antibodies. Based on the results, 606 (45.7%) cases reported no symptoms while 673 (50.8%) of them reflected at least one. Among 798 (60.2%) participants, the most common symptoms were headache (n = 244, 18.4%), sore throat (n = 186, 14.0%), weakness (n = 150, 11.3%), muscular pain (n = 139, 10.5%), and sputum cough (n = 134, 10.1%). The odds of the antibodies in females was 1.37 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.82, P = 0.03). In phase 2, 43 (5.3%) participants persisted positive for IgG while 559 (73%) tested negative for IgG. Finally, 20% of the suffered participants tested positive for IgG until nine months. Conclusion: Although IgG antibodies decreased in the first six months, their titers persisted stable for nine months. It seems our population has not reached a desirable level of protection. It is stressed that mass vaccination is needed to prevent future epidemic waves.

Background: From the general health perspective, the epidemiology of COVID-19 in Hormozgan Province, a region in the south of Iran marked by heavy traffic, can provide useful information to help control the epidemic of the disease in other provinces and the whole country. Objectives: Thus, the present research aimed to epidemiologically analyze COVID-19 patients and patients with severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) based on hospital data in Hormozgan Province. Methods: In the present observational, analytical, cross-sectional study, the epidemiologic data of all 2,055 patients with the symptoms of acute respiratory problems who visited hospitals in Hormozgan between February 20, 2020, and April 19, 2020, were analyzed and reported. Patients’ demographic information included gender, age, and background diseases. Tabulated data, frequencies, and percentages were used for descriptive statistics, and the chi-squared test and odds ratios were used for inferential statistics. Results: The ratios of male to female among people with COVID-19 and respiratory infection were 1.15 and 1.12, respectively. The mean age of the participants was 42.8 ± 21 years. The results revealed that contact with patients had the highest odds ratio (5.41 - 9.30, OR = 7.09) regarding COVID-19 as compared to SARI. Reduced sense of smell (1.86 - 12.87, OR = 4.89), muscular pain (1.24 - 2.14, OR = 1.63), coughs (1.14 - 1.86, OR = 1.46), and fever (1.14 - 1.83, OR = 1.45) showed to have the highest odds ratios concerning the symptoms. As for background diseases, cardiovascular disease (1.004 - 2.110, OR = 1.455), asthma (OR = 1.603, 1.040 - 2.473), and pulmonary chronic disease (1.456 - 3.854, OR = 2.369) had the highest odds ratios. Conclusions: The present findings showed a statistically significant correlation between age and affliction with COVID-19. Moreover, the most prevalent symptoms of the disease were reduced sense of smell, muscular pain, coughs, and fever, as already mentioned in similar studies. The present research showed that patients with cardiovascular disease, asthma, or chronic pulmonary disease had the highest risk of COVID-19.