This page describes the surveillance of other respiratory infections reported in the weekly virological laboratory surveillance, winter 2023/2024.

Approximately 19 laboratories report weekly the number of diagnoses of several viral pathogens and certain obligatory intracellular (i.e. only growing within a cell) bacteria to the RIVM. All these laboratories are members of the Working Group on Clinical Virology (NWKV) of the Dutch Society for Medical Microbiology (NVMM). More background information on the virological laboratory surveillance can be found in the document 'Background and Methods of Respiratory Surveillance 2023/2024'. Since 2022/2023, several laboratories that only reported SARS-CoV-2 during the pandemic have also started reporting other viruses. This review on 2023/2024 is limited to the original laboratories to allow comparison with past seasons.

As respiratory infections mainly occur in winter, the data are presented for a respiratory season or a respiratory year. A respiratory season runs from week 40 of one year to week 20 of the following year. A respiratory year runs from week 40 of one year to week 39 of the following year. In this retrospect, the data for the respiratory year 2023/2024 is limited to the respiratory season. For an overview of the dynamics of the different pathogens, see the figures below. In all figures, the black line shows the average number of detections per week for the respiratory years 2014/2015 – 2018/2019. The data of these individual respiratory years can be found in the annual report Surveillance of acute respiratory infections in the Netherlands: winter 2018/2019. The figures for influenza virus and RSV are shown in the retrospects of these viruses.

Humaan metapneumovirus (hMPV)

The circulation of hMPV started increasing from week 4 in 2024. This was later than in the two previous respiratory years and in terms of timing, comparable again to the pre-COVID-19 respiratory years. At the end of the respiratory season 2023/2024 (week 20, 2024), the number of hMPV detections was still at an elevated level compared to the beginning of the season.

Parainfluenza virus type 1

The number of detections of parainfluenza virus type 1 increased around week 4, 2024. This is later than in the previous season and in the pre-COVID-19 years. Detections peaked in week 13.

Parainfluenza virus type 3

In the respiratory season of 2023/2024, parainfluenza virus type 3 had an early peak: around week 14, 2024. However, the timing varies per year. This was also observed during the last five pre-COVID-19 respiratory years (see annual report Surveillance of acute respiratory infections in the Netherlands: winter 2018/2019). The peak in week 14, 2024, was higher than the peak of the four previous respiratory years and the five pre-COVID-19 respiratory years. At the end of the respiratory season 2023/2024 (week 20, 2024), the increase had not yet subsided. 

Parainfluenza virus type 4

The number of detections of parainfluenza virus type 4 was highest at the beginning of the respiratory season 2023/2024 and formed the last part of the peak in detections during the summer of 2023. Pre-COVID-19, peaks of parainfluenza virus type 4 were often detected during the autumn/winter around weeks 41/50. 

Mycoplasma pneumoniae

The number of detections of Mycoplasma pneumoniae increased at the beginning of the respiratory season (week 40, 2023), and is still elevated at the end of the respiratory season (week 20, 2024). Compared to the 10 previous respiratory years, the weekly number of reported detections has never been so high throughout the entire respiratory season. The peak in detections was in week 3, 2024. More about this can be found on the retrospect on community-acquired pneumonia 2023/2024. 

Note: Changes in the number of positive test results in the virological laboratory surveillance are not necessarily caused by actual changes in the incidence of infections. They can also be caused by changes in testing policy and procedures by doctors and/or microbiological laboratories. Since the testing policy is not the same for every pathogen, comparing the number of positive tests between pathogens should be done with caution.

Figure 1. Weekly number of rhinovirus detections

Skip chart Figure 1. Weekly number of rhinovirus detections reported in the virological laboratory surveillance for the respiratory years 2014/2015 to 2022/2023 and for the respiratory season (up to week 20) 2023/2024. and go to datatable

The black line shows the average number of detections per week for the respiratory years 2014/2015 – 2018/2019, the other lines show the weekly detections of the subsequent respiratory years.

Note: This data is owned by the laboratories participating in virological laboratory surveillance, represented by the board of the Dutch Working Group for Clinical Virology (NWKV). The database management is handled by RIVM. Further use of this data is not allowed without permission. Permission to use this data can be requested by contacting  virweekstaten@rivm.nl.

Figure 2. Weekly number of human metapneumovirus detections

Skip chart Figure 2. Weekly number of human metapneumovirus detections reported in the virological laboratory surveillance for the respiratory years 2014/2015 to 2022/2023 and for the respiratory season (up to week 20) 2023/2024. and go to datatable

The black line shows the average number of detections per week for the respiratory years 2014/2015 – 2018/2019, the other lines show the weekly detections of the subsequent respiratory years.

Note: This data is owned by the laboratories participating in virological laboratory surveillance, represented by the board of the Dutch Working Group for Clinical Virology (NWKV). The database management is handled by RIVM. Further use of this data is not allowed without permission. Permission to use this data can be requested by contacting  virweekstaten@rivm.nl.

Figure 3. Weekly number of human seasonal coronaviruses (excluding SARS-CoV-2) detections

Skip chart Figure 3. Weekly number of human seasonal coronaviruses (excluding SARS-CoV-2) detections reported in the virological laboratory surveillance for the respiratory years 2014/2015 to 2022/2023 and for the respiratory season (up to week 20) 2023/2024. and go to datatable

The black line shows the average number of detections per week for the respiratory years 2014/2015 – 2018/2019, the other lines show the weekly detections of the subsequent respiratory years.

Note: This data is owned by the laboratories participating in virological laboratory surveillance, represented by the board of the Dutch Working Group for Clinical Virology (NWKV). The database management is handled by RIVM. Further use of this data is not allowed without permission. Permission to use this data can be requested by contacting  virweekstaten@rivm.nl.

Figure 4. Weekly number of parainfluenza virus type 1 detections

Skip chart Figure 4. Weekly number of parainfluenza virus type 1 detections reported in the virological laboratory surveillance for the respiratory years 2014/2015 to 2022/2023 and for the respiratory season (up to week 20) 2023/2024. and go to datatable

The black line shows the average number of detections per week for the respiratory years 2014/2015 – 2018/2019, the other lines show the weekly detections of the subsequent respiratory years.

Note: This data is owned by the laboratories participating in virological laboratory surveillance, represented by the board of the Dutch Working Group for Clinical Virology (NWKV). The database management is handled by RIVM. Further use of this data is not allowed without permission. Permission to use this data can be requested by contacting  virweekstaten@rivm.nl.

Figure 5. Weekly number of parainfluenza virus type 2 detections

Skip chart Figure 5. Weekly number of parainfluenza virus type 2 detections reported in the virological laboratory surveillance for the respiratory years 2014/2015 to 2022/2023 and for the respiratory season (up to week 20) 2023/2024. and go to datatable

The black line shows the average number of detections per week for the respiratory years 2014/2015 – 2018/2019, the other lines show the weekly detections of the subsequent respiratory years.

Note: This data is owned by the laboratories participating in virological laboratory surveillance, represented by the board of the Dutch Working Group for Clinical Virology (NWKV). The database management is handled by RIVM. Further use of this data is not allowed without permission. Permission to use this data can be requested by contacting  virweekstaten@rivm.nl.

Figure 6. Weekly number of parainfluenza virus type 3 detections

Skip chart Figure 6. Weekly number of parainfluenza virus type 3 detections reported in the virological laboratory surveillance for the respiratory years 2014/2015 to 2022/2023 and for the respiratory season (up to week 20) 2023/2024. and go to datatable

The black line shows the average number of detections per week for the respiratory years 2014/2015 – 2018/2019, the other lines show the weekly detections of the subsequent respiratory years.

Note: This data is owned by the laboratories participating in virological laboratory surveillance, represented by the board of the Dutch Working Group for Clinical Virology (NWKV). The database management is handled by RIVM. Further use of this data is not allowed without permission. Permission to use this data can be requested by contacting  virweekstaten@rivm.nl.

Figure 7. Weekly number of parainfluenza virus type 4 detections

Skip chart Figure 7. Weekly number of parainfluenza virus type 4 detections reported in the virological laboratory surveillance for the respiratory years 2014/2015 to 2022/2023 and for the respiratory season (up to week 20) 2023/2024. and go to datatable

The black line shows the average number of detections per week for the respiratory years 2014/2015 – 2018/2019, the other lines show the weekly detections of the subsequent respiratory years.

Note: This data is owned by the laboratories participating in virological laboratory surveillance, represented by the board of the Dutch Working Group for Clinical Virology (NWKV). The database management is handled by RIVM. Further use of this data is not allowed without permission. Permission to use this data can be requested by contacting  virweekstaten@rivm.nl.

Figure 8. Weekly number of Chlamydia pneumoniae detections

Skip chart Figure 8. Weekly number of Chlamydia pneumoniae detections reported in the virological laboratory surveillance for the respiratory years 2014/2015 to 2022/2023 and for the respiratory season (up to week 20) 2023/2024. and go to datatable

The black line shows the average number of detections per week for the respiratory years 2014/2015 – 2018/2019, the other lines show the weekly detections of the subsequent respiratory years.

Note: This data is owned by the laboratories participating in virological laboratory surveillance, represented by the board of the Dutch Working Group for Clinical Virology (NWKV). The database management is handled by RIVM. Further use of this data is not allowed without permission. Permission to use this data can be requested by contacting  virweekstaten@rivm.nl.

Figure 9. Weekly number of Mycoplasma pneumoniae detections

Skip chart Figure 9. Weekly number of Mycoplasma pneumoniae detections reported in the virological laboratory surveillance for the respiratory years 2014/2015 to 2022/2023 and for the respiratory season (up to week 20) 2023/2024. and go to datatable

The black line shows the average number of detections per week for the respiratory years 2014/2015 – 2018/2019, the other lines show the weekly detections of the subsequent respiratory years.

Note: This data is owned by the laboratories participating in virological laboratory surveillance, represented by the board of the Dutch Working Group for Clinical Virology (NWKV). The database management is handled by RIVM. Further use of this data is not allowed without permission. Permission to use this data can be requested by contacting  virweekstaten@rivm.nl.

Figure 10. Weekly number of adenovirus detections

Skip chart Figure 10. Weekly number of adenovirus detections reported in the virological laboratory surveillance for the respiratory years 2014/2015 to 2022/2023 and for the respiratory season (up to week 20) 2023/2024. and go to datatable

The black line shows the average number of detections per week for the respiratory years 2014/2015 – 2018/2019, the other lines show the weekly detections of the subsequent respiratory years.

Note: This data is owned by the laboratories participating in virological laboratory surveillance, represented by the board of the Dutch Working Group for Clinical Virology (NWKV). The database management is handled by RIVM. Further use of this data is not allowed without permission. Permission to use this data can be requested by contacting  virweekstaten@rivm.nl.

Figure 11. Weekly number of bocavirus detections

Skip chart Figure 11. Weekly number of bocavirus detections reported in the virological laboratory surveillance for the respiratory years 2014/2015 to 2022/2023 and for the respiratory season (up to week 20) 2023/2024. and go to datatable

The black line shows the average number of detections per week for the respiratory years 2014/2015 – 2018/2019, the other lines show the weekly detections of the subsequent respiratory years.

Note: This data is owned by the laboratories participating in virological laboratory surveillance, represented by the board of the Dutch Working Group for Clinical Virology (NWKV). The database management is handled by RIVM. Further use of this data is not allowed without permission. Permission to use this data can be requested by contacting  virweekstaten@rivm.nl.

More about surveillance of respiratory infections

More about surveillance of respiratory infections