Epidemiological characteristics of 5 669 cases of acute respiratory infections in children
XIONG Junhao
YANG Wei
XU Yuzhong
Abstract：Objective To analyze the distribution characteristics and epidemiological trends of the pathogen spectrum in children under 14 years old with acute respiratory tract infections(ARTI)in Shenzhen,aiming to guide clinical diagnosis and treatment.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 5 669 children hospitalized with a clinically diagnosed of ARTI between January 8,2023,and January 8,2024,in municipal and district-level hospitals in Shenzhen,including Bao'an District People's Hospital.Throat swabs or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid specimens collected during initial visits were tested for 198 common pathogens using targeted next-generation sequencing.The composition of respiratory pathogen spectra,mixed infections,severe cases,and pathogen detection rates stratified by gender,age groups,and seasons were analyzed.Results The most frequency detected pathogens in Shenzhen children with ARTI were Haemophilus influenzae(32.2%),Mycoplasma pneumoniae(30.6%),rhinovirus(22.3%),Streptococcus pneumoniae(18.1%),and Moraxella catarrhalis(17.2%).Mixed infections(defined as≥2 pathogens)accounted for 82.8%(4 695/5 669)of cases,while severe pneumonia cases comprised 1.1%(64/5 699).Detection rates of H.influenzae,M.pneumoniae,and respiratory syncytial virus(RSV)were significantly higher in male patients than in females(P<0.05).By age groups,RSV was most common in neonates(<1 month),infants(1 month to<1 year),and toddlers(1 to<3 years).H.influenzae was predominant in preschoolers(3 to<7 years),while M.pneumoniae was most prevalent in school-aged children(7-14 years).Seasonal analysis showed that M.pneumoniae dominated in spring,summer,and winter,whereas H.influenzae was most frequent in autumn.Conclusion H.influenzae was the leading bacterial pathogen,rhinovirus the predominant viral agent,and M.pneumoniae remains highly prevalent among children in Shenzhen.Bacterial and M.pneumoniae co-infections are the primary mixed infection pattern.Note:Scientific names of pathogens are italicized,and statistical values/p-values are formatted per standard medical writing conventions.was mainly bacterial and MP mixed infection.
Keywords：targeted second-generation sequencingchildren acute respiratory infectionHaemophilus influenzaerhinovirus
Publication Date：2025-10-30
Online Publishing Date：2025-10-31(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：8( 545-552 )