Has the ‘quademia’ hit the US? 4 viral infections and what you need to know about them
Four viruses are circulating in the US, raising concerns about a possible “quademia.”
flu, COVID 19RSV and norovirus are both at “very high levels” across the country, according to Samuel Scarpino, director of AI and life sciences and professor of health sciences at Northeastern University in Boston.
“We’re in the midst of a very serious situation in terms of circulating pathogens,” he told Fox News Digital.
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“Based on data from our national wastewater monitoring system, some parts of the country, like Boston, appear to be entering peak periods for all four diseases, but in other areas, cases are still rising,” Scarpino added.
There are currently available vaccines for COVID, influenza and RSV, but not for norovirus — although there is an mRNA vaccine in development, one expert noted. (iStock)
Ph.D. Marc Siegelclinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and senior medical analyst for Fox News, noted that it is currently peak respiratory virus season.
“It’s not a ‘quad-demic,’ per se, just a lot of respiratory viruses and bacteria at once,” he told Fox News Digital.
In addition to the four viruses, Siegel warned about some bacterial outbreaks which can cause respiratory diseases, such as mycoplasma, pertussis and strep.
Viruses in numbers
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported an 18.8% flu test positive rate for the week ending January 11, stating that “seasonal flu activity remains high in most of the country.”
There were also 11 pediatric flu-related deaths, bringing the total number of deaths this season to 27, the agency said.
“We are in the midst of a very serious situation in terms of circulating pathogens.”
COVID-19 was at 6.6% of positive tests as of Jan. 11, with 1.3% of emergency room visits resulting in a diagnosis and 1.8% of all deaths linked to the virus, according to the CDC.
RSV (respiratory syncytial viruswhich is a highly contagious virus that infects the lungs, nose and throat) has a positive test of 8.9%.
With the emergence of these common seasonal viruses, one doctor said it’s important for patients to have a “great relationship” with their primary care physician. (iStock)
Cases of norovirus, better known as stomach bugare also growing.
Between Aug. 1 and Dec. 11, 2024, 495 norovirus outbreaks were reported in the U.S., compared with 363 during the same period last year, according to the CDC.
Differentiation of viruses
Kenneth Perry, MD, an emergency physician in South Carolina, said his hospital has recently seen an increase in emergency room visits related to these infections.
“From a cough to a stuffy nose and even a fever, discrete viruses are hard to distinguish,” he told Fox News Digital. “For most people, knowing which virus they have is a purely academic discussion. For some patients, however, the specific virus is very important.”
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The chance of someone having all four viruses at once is very small, Perry said — “but it’s not completely out of the question for people to have two or even three at the same time.”
Siegel agreed that with the many viruses circulating, it can be a challenge for internists and infectious disease specialists distinguish.
“It’s not a ‘quad-demic’, per se, just a lot of respiratory viruses and bacteria at once,” said Dr. Marc Siegel for Fox News Digital. (iStock)
“Respiratory panels in hospitals, urgent care centers and laboratories can help distinguish them,” he said.
Combined rapid tests are available that simultaneously detect two types of influenza and COVID, Scarpino pointed out.
Potential risk factors
“Of the four viruses in wide circulation, all pose a unique risk of severe disease in elderly people“, Dr. told Fox News Digital. Jacob Glanville, CEO of Centivax, a San Francisco biotech company.
RSV poses a unique risk to infants, experts agree.
“Of the four viruses in wide circulation, all pose a unique risk of severe disease in the elderly.”
“For young infants, breathing through the nose is imperative in order to eat, and RSV can cause serious amounts of nasal congestion,” Perry warned. This congestion can disrupt the ability of babies consume enough calories, he added.
For norovirus, dehydration can become a “big problem,” according to Perry.
“Again, young infants who cannot drink water or sports drinks to maintain hydration may be most susceptible.”
Combined rapid tests are available that detect two types of influenza and COVID at the same time. (iStock)
Long-term COVID is a “significant concern” for most adults, according to Glanville, “because the chronic disorder has yet to be fully understood and effective treatments have yet to be developed.”
Scarpino noted that influenza has historically been the leading cause of death in the US
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“Despite the fact that these days we are more used to worrying about COVID, it is important to take the flu very seriously,” he added.
People with underlying risk factors are at greater risk of severe disease for all four viruses, Scarpino added.
Prevention and treatment
To prevent these four circulating viruses, Glanville recommends getting vaccinated when possible, avoiding contact with infected people, and following proper sanitation procedures.
“The best thing you can do to avoid getting any of these viruses is to keep your hands clean,” Perry advised. “Washing your hands, especially after touching public surfaces, will be the best way to prevent getting any of these viruses.”
“The best thing you can do to avoid getting any of these viruses is to keep your hands clean,” the emergency room doctor advised. (iStock)
Currently, there are vaccines available for COVID, influenza, and RSV, but not for norovirus — although there is an mRNA vaccine in developmentScarpino pointed out.
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“Even in places where the number of cases has started to drop, we are far from out of the woods, so there is still time to vaccinate,” he said.
For those who contract either virus, Siegel recommends focusing on staying hydrated, getting plenty of rest and monitoring symptoms closely.
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Patients should stay at home, avoid direct contact with others and wear masks nearby, the doctor advises.
Perry pointed out that flu and COVID are “cyclical” in their level of severity.
“The best thing you can do to avoid getting any of these viruses is to keep your hands clean.”
“There are years when the flu virus is very mild and other years when it is more virulent,” he told Fox News Digital. “The same is true for COVID, as we saw with the different variants that were present throughout the pandemic.”
With the emergence of these common seasonal viruses, Perry said it’s important for patients to have a “great relationship” with primary care physician.
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“This way, their risk category is well known to their doctor and they can easily get the appropriate care their healtheven if they get one of these viruses.”
