ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the epidemiology of pathogens of acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI) in children in Guangzhou area.Methods:A total of 13 610 hospitalized children with ARTI in Guangzhou Women and Children′s Medical Center from January 2018 to December 2021 were enrolled. Throat swab specimens were collected, and fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to detect 11 respiratory pathogens, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenovirus (ADV), parainfluenza virus (PIV), human rhinovirus (HRV), human bocavirus (HBoV), human metapneumovirus (HMPV), enterovirus (EV), influenza A virus (IFA), influenza B virus (IFB), Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) and Chlamydia pneumoniae (CP). Grouping according to age (< one year group, one to < three years group, three to < six years group, six to 14 years group) and season. Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. Results:At least one pathogen was detected in 6 331 cases among 13 610 patients, and the overall positive rate was 46.52%. The detection rates from high to low were as follows: RSV (13.75%(1 872/13 610)), ADV (4.82%(656/13 610)), PIV (4.82%(656/13 610)), MP (4.54%(618/13 610)), HRV (3.39%(462/13 610)), HBoV (2.64%(359/13 610)), HMPV (2.59%(352/13 610)), EV (1.76%(239/13 610)), IFA (1.29%(176/13 610)), IFB (0.90%(122/13 610)) and CP (0.30%(41/13 610)). The positive rate of viral detection showed significant differences among different age groups ( χ2=49.91, P<0.001), and the highest positive rate was in the age group of one to <three years (50.83%(2 196/4 320)). The positive rate of viral detection showed a significant difference in terms of seasonal distribution ( χ2=13.90, P=0.003), with a peak prevalence in summer (48.76%(1 498/3 072)). Conclusions:RSV, ADV, PIV, MP and HRV are important pathogens causing ARTI in children in Guangzhou area. The distribution of pathogens in children with ARTI is associated with age and season.