Epidemiological Analysis of Viral Pathogens Associated with Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in Children

Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are a crucial cause of hospital admissions in children. The present study was conducted to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of viral pathogens linked to LRTIs in hospitalized children.

The researchers conducted a retrospective study from June 2021 to May 2023 analyzing viral detection via oral pharyngeal swabs from 4,565 children with LRTIs. They identified eleven respiratory viruses using a multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) kit. The study assessed the epidemiological features of these infections, including age, gender, seasonal variations, and risk factors for virus-related pneumonia.

The results showed the following findings:

• All 4,565 cases tested positive for at least one virus, resulting in a positivity rate of 27.95%. 
• Mixed infections were found in 1,276 cases. 
• Among the positive cases, 59.3% were male and 40.7% female. 
• The highest positivity rates were for human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) at 5.98%, rhinovirus (HRV) at 5.67%, and adenovirus (HADV) at 4.38%.
• Seasonal, age, and gender variations were noted, with human parainfluenza virus (HPIV) and adenovirus being more prevalent in children under three years of age. 
• Males showed higher infection rates across most age groups, except for those aged 1 to less than 3 years.

The findings thus, concluded that respiratory pathogen infections in children vary significantly by gender, season, and age.

Source: Li S, Xue Z, Feng Y, Zhou X, Qi Y, Feng N, Li Y. Epidemiological characteristics of eleven common respiratory viral infections in children. BMC Pediatr. 2024 Dec 20;24(1):827. doi: 10.1186/s12887-024-05300-1. PMID: 39702072; PMCID: PMC11660704.