Since October 2006, surveillance for cases of respiratory infection has been in place at Nanxiang Pediatric Hospital in Shanghai. In each sample taken, 14 respiratory viruses are sought systematically. The results are then transmitted to clinicians in under 48 hours.

The SISEA project also contributes towards actions conducted in this institution in the context of the diagnostics platform for emerging viruses. It is also within this site that the PCR multiplex technique, now adopted by all the project’s partners, was developed. A study of 817 children confirmed its validity.

At the end of August 2008, a total of 827 samples had been analyzed. It was thus possible to characterize the viruses most commonly implicated: respiratory syncytial virus, bocavirus, rhinovirus, and influenza A and B.