Li Suling, Xue Zhengfeng, Feng Yuxin, Zhou Xue, Qi Yang, Feng Na, Li Yuanxia
Department of Pediatrics, Yan'an University Affiliated Hospital, Yan'an, 716000, China.
BMC Pediatr. 2024 Dec 20;24(1):827. doi: 10.1186/s12887-024-05300-1.
Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are one of the leading causes of hospital admissions among children. In this study, we aimed to describe the epidemiological characteristics of viral pathogens associated with LRTIs in hospitalized children in Yan'an; this has yet to be reported in the literature and may guide public health interventions and resource allocation in this region.
Between June 2021 and May 2023, we conducted a retrospective analysis of the results of viral detection using oral pharyngeal swabs from 4565 children with LRTIs in the Inpatient Department of Yan'an University Affiliated Hospital. Eleven respiratory viruses, including influenza A virus (Flu A), influenza A H1N1 virus (H1N1), seasonal influenza A H3N2 virus (H3N2), influenza B virus (Flu B), parainfluenza virus (HPIV), adenovirus (HADV), bocavirus (HBoV), rhinovirus (HRV), metapneumovirus (HNPV), coronavirus (HCoV), and respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV), were confirmed by applying a multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) kit for respiratory viruses. We evaluated the epidemiological features of infections caused by respiratory pathogens, including aging, gender and the seasonal variations of different pathogens, and explored the high-risk factors associated with virus-caused pneumonia.
At least one virus was detected in all 4565 cases; the positivity rate was 27.95%. We also detected a total of 1,276 cases with mixed infections (with two or more viruses). Of the positive cases, 59.3% were male and 40.7% were female (x = 0.41, P = 0.68). The highest positivity rates for respiratory pathogens were observed for HRSV, HRV, and HADV, at 5.98%, 5.67%, and 4.38%, respectively. We also observed variations in the number and positivity rates of respiratory pathogen infections by season, age and gender. HPIV (x = 12.05, P < 0.05) and HADV (x = 11.73, P < 0.05) were more common in children under three years-of-age. Notably, with the exception of the 1 to < 3 years age group, males consistently demonstrated elevated infection rates across other age groups.
Our analysis revealed that respiratory pathogen infections varied by gender, season, and age in the enrolled population of children.
下呼吸道感染（LRTIs）是儿童住院的主要原因之一。在本研究中，我们旨在描述延安住院儿童中与下呼吸道感染相关的病毒病原体的流行病学特征；这在文献中尚未见报道，可能为该地区的公共卫生干预措施和资源分配提供指导。
2021年6月至2023年5月，我们对延安大学附属医院住院部4565名下呼吸道感染儿童的咽拭子病毒检测结果进行了回顾性分析。应用呼吸道病毒多重实时聚合酶链反应（PCR）试剂盒确认了11种呼吸道病毒，包括甲型流感病毒（Flu A）、甲型H1N1流感病毒（H1N1）、季节性甲型H3N2流感病毒（H3N2）、乙型流感病毒（Flu B）、副流感病毒（HPIV）、腺病毒（HADV）、博卡病毒（HBoV）、鼻病毒（HRV）、偏肺病毒（HNPV）、冠状病毒（HCoV）和呼吸道合胞病毒（HRSV）。我们评估了呼吸道病原体感染的流行病学特征，包括年龄、性别以及不同病原体的季节变化，并探讨了与病毒引起的肺炎相关的高危因素。
4565例病例均检测到至少一种病毒；阳性率为27.95%。我们还共检测到1276例混合感染（两种或更多病毒）。在阳性病例中，男性占59.3%，女性占40.7%（x=0.41，P=0.68）。呼吸道病原体阳性率最高的是呼吸道合胞病毒、鼻病毒和腺病毒，分别为5.98%、5.67%和4.38%。我们还观察到呼吸道病原体感染的数量和阳性率随季节、年龄和性别的变化。副流感病毒（x=12.05，P<0.05）和腺病毒（x=11.73，P<0.05）在3岁以下儿童中更常见。值得注意的是，除了1至<3岁年龄组外，男性在其他年龄组的感染率一直较高。
我们的分析表明，在纳入研究的儿童人群中，呼吸道病原体感染因性别、季节和年龄而异。
