Epidemiological characteristics of mycoplasma pneumoniae, Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus in children with acute upper respiratory tract infections in Hangzhou / 中华临床感染病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP),Epstein-Barr virus (EB virus) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in children with acute upper respiratory tract infections in Hangzhou.Methods Throat swabs and sputum samples were collected from 5942 children with acute upper respiratory tract infections in Hangzhou First People's Hospital during January 2011 and December 2012.MP,EB virus and CMV were detected using quantitative PCR.The distribution and seasonal changes of the above pathogens in children of different ages were analyzed using Chi-square tests.Results MP,EB virus and CMV were positive in 29.91％ (1777/5942),22.92％ (1362/5942) and 8.55％ (508/5942) children,respectively.Mixed infections were found in 556 (9.36％) children.The positive rates of MP varied among different age groups (x2 =113,P =0.000),and the highest one was detected in children ＞ 6-year old (448/1012,44.36％).EB virus infection was rare in age group 0-1 year,and the positive rate was of statistical difference from those in other age groups (x2 =167,181 and 187,P =0.000).The highest positive rate of CMV (23.78％) was found in children aged 0-1 year old.The positive rates of MP varied in different months of the year (x2 =208 and 211,P =0.000),and the highest positive rate was found in July and August.Conclusion The predominant pathogen of acute upper respiratory tract infection in children is MP in Hangzhou,and MP plus EB virus infection is common,particularly in older children;while CMV infection more likely occures in 0-1 year old babies,and usually in summer.