To identify and characterize the data sources used to support the surveillance and research of influenza, RSV, and SARS-CoV-2 over the past 2 decades across 12 European countries.
Approach:
Review Protocol: The scoping review was reported in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, with a defined protocol outlining objectives, eligibility criteria, search strategy, and analytical framework.
Eligibility Criteria: Included reports published between January 2005 and September 2025, focusing on influenza, RSV, or SARS-CoV-2, with data from at least one of the 12 selected European countries.
Information Sources: Literature search conducted in MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Embase, covering all relevant publications up to September 2025.
Key Findings:
Acute respiratory infections from influenza, RSV, and SARS-CoV-2 significantly burden public health.
Limited routine testing for other respiratory viruses leads to unequal burden estimates.
The simultaneous circulation of multiple respiratory viruses in winter 2022 created a 'triple-demic' scenario.
Interpretation:
The review highlights the need for enhanced preparedness and surveillance mechanisms for respiratory viruses in Europe.
Limitations:
The review did not include non-empirical works or interventional studies.
No language restrictions were applied, which may affect the comprehensiveness of included data.
Conclusion:
A consolidated overview of existing practices and capacities is essential for informing future policy and developing resilient data infrastructures for respiratory virus surveillance in Europe.
