OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the detection and epidemiological characteristics of common influenza viruses (IVA/IVB) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in a teaching hospital in Shanghai from 2017 to 2023, and to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on the transmission and detection rates of these viruses. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of IVA/IVB and RSV cases detected in hospitals from 2017 to 2023. Data was categorized into pre, during and post outbreaks based on the timing of the COVID-19 outbreak and further subdivided by season and age group. PCR and colloidal gold methods were used for virus detection and statistical analyses were performed accordingly. RESULTS: Positive detection rates of pathogens were statistically different by age, period, season and detection method employed. Before the epidemic, the pathogen infections showed obvious seasonality but disappeared after 2019. Positive detection rates of influenza were higher in adolescents and young and middle-aged people while RSV detection was highest in adolescents. Detection by Gene Xpert real-time fluorescent PCR was superior in terms of timeliness and efficiency. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic and the massive public health intervention campaign have led to widespread changes in human behavior, significantly affecting the spread and activity of other seasonal respiratory viruses. Further, advances in detection methods have contributed to increased pathogen detection rates.