Study to shed light on post-viral illnesses

Researchers are hoping to broaden their understanding of the lingering impact of three major respiratory viruses in a newly launched study seeking recruits through general practice.
 
The ‘OUTcomes POST COVID: The OUTPOST study’ will gather details of the long-term impact of infection from three major respiratory viruses – COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
 
A collaboration between the University of Melbourne, the Doherty Institute, the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney and the University of Adelaide, the research will look at health outcomes including recovery, persistent symptoms and functional impairment.
 
Researchers are aiming to recruit 1500 people who have had acute respiratory symptoms within the past seven days, as well as a control group without symptoms, through general practices, pharmacies and the broader community.
 
They hope their findings could help improve clinical care.
 
It comes as rates of respiratory illness continue to rise in Australia, with 83,000 RSV cases reported so far in 2025, as well as 103,000 COVID-19 cases, and 138,000 laboratory confirmed influenza cases.
 
OUTPOST researcher Professor Nigel Stocks, Head of the Discipline of General Practice at the University of Adelaide, hopes people with flu-like symptoms will enrol in the study, either online or through participating general practices and pharmacies.
 
‘Ideally, when someone stays unwell after one of these acute infections, support should be available through primary care teams including doctors, nurses, and allied health practitioners,’ he said.  
 
‘However, this type of multi-disciplinary care is not always readily accessible.
 
‘Through the OUTPOST study, we will map what care pathways currently exist and where there are gaps, to guide improvements in care delivery in the future.’
 
Study participants must be aged over 12, while those who have existing or previous prolonged post-viral symptoms are excluded from the study.
 
Participants will be sent questionnaires six, 12, 24 and 48 weeks following sign-up.
 
Co-lead investigator Professor Lena Sanci, Head of the Department of General Practice and Primary Care at The University of Melbourne, says she hopes the study will build understanding of the frequency of post-viral illnesses, and how they vary based depending on infection and severity.
 
‘We heard a lot about severe long COVID in the earlier days of the pandemic, and a lot of this was pre-vaccination and antiviral therapy,’ she said.  
 
‘OUTPOST has been designed to systematically collect data on post-infective illness following a range of infections, with the goal of understanding what kind of symptoms people experience and for how long, as well as understanding the everyday impacts of these long-term symptoms on peoples’ lives and on the health services they use.’
 
More details on the OUTPOST study are available online.
 
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influenza Long Covid respiratory viruses RSV