Virological Surveillance of Acute Respiratory Infection in Primary Health Care in Metropolitan France (RS-viro IRA)

July 31, 2026 updated by: Institut National de la Santé Et de la Recherche Médicale, France
Every year in the fall and winter, numerous respiratory viruses (such as influenza viruses, SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), RSV, rhinovirus, and metapneumovirus) circulate in mainland France, causing acute respiratory infections (ARIs). These viruses can cause epidemics of varying severity, requiring close monitoring to determine their circulation levels and adapt public health measures accordingly. In France, ARI surveillance relies on two networks: the Sentinelles network in primary care and the RENAL network in hospitals. The Sentinelles surveillance is conducted in collaboration with Santé publique France, the National Reference Center for Respiratory Infection Viruses (Institut Pasteur and Hospices Civils de Lyon), and the University of Corsica. As part of the virological surveillance of ARIs, Sentinelles physicians are asked to collect nasopharyngeal swabs or saliva samples from a sample of patients presenting with an ARI during their clinic visits. This surveillance makes it possible to identify respiratory viruses circulating in primary care (general practice and pediatrics), to describe confirmed cases for each of the circulating viruses, and to estimate the impact of each on general practice. This surveillance also allows for the evaluation of the effectiveness of vaccines against influenza and COVID-19.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
25000

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • France
      • Paris, France
        • Recruiting
        • IPLESP - UMR S 1136, N° BC 2908, Faculté de médecine Sorbonne Université, site Saint Antoine, 27 rue Chaligny
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Thierry BLANCHON

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients seen in GPs' consultation with an acute respiratory infection

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • be seen by a general practitioner or pediatrician participating in the Sentinelles surveillance program;
  • between week 40 (late September-early October) and week 15 (mid-April) of each year
  • have an acute respiratory infection (ARI) as defined below: Sudden onset of fever (or feeling of fever) and respiratory symptoms
  • have given oral consent to participate in this monitoring or, in the case of minors, oral consent given by the child's legal guardian(s) present at the consultation

Exclusion Criteria:

  • a person who is subject to a court-ordered protective measure;
  • a person who is under guardianship or conservatorship, unless accompanied by their legal guardian or unless the legal guardian objects to their participation;
  • a person who is not in a condition to receive information or give consent.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Individuals with an ARI consulting a GP or a private pediatrician in mainland France
Diagnostic test: saliva sampling

Based on the protocol, physicians perform either a nasopharyngeal swab or saliva collection on included patients. The method is determined by scientific data and epidemiological constraints, not by the patient.

Saliva collection:

The physician oversees the collection during the visit using the provided kit (pipette, tube, etc.).

Depending on constraints, the patient may perform the collection at home if agreed upon.

If the patient is unable to self-collect (e.g., infants, facial paralysis), the physician collects the saliva directly from under the tongue using the pipette.

Diagnostic test: Nasopharyngeal swab

Based on the protocol, physicians perform either a nasopharyngeal swab or saliva collection on included patients. The method is determined by scientific data and epidemiological constraints, not by the patient.

Nasopharyngeal sampling: During the consultation, the physician performs a deep nasal swab using the provided kit (FFP2 mask, swab, transport tube, absorbent, SafetyBag, and pre-paid envelope for partner labs).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Proportion of acute respiratory infection (ARI) cases seen in private practice (general practice and pediatrics) that tested positive for influenza viruses (by type and subtype), SARS-CoV-2, RSV, rhinovirus, and metapneumovirus
Time Frame: Baseline
Baseline

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Weekly incidence rate of acute respiratory infections caused by influenza viruses and SARS-CoV-2 seen in general practice
Time Frame: Baseline
Baseline
Proportion of patients included vaccinated against influenza
Time Frame: Baseline
Baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Institut National de la Santé Et de la Recherche Médicale, France

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Thierry BLANCHON, MD, PhD, Institut National de la Santé Et de la Recherche Médicale, France

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
May 14, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
May 14, 2031

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
May 14, 2031

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
May 6, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 13, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
May 20, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
August 3, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 31, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • C21-62

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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