Epidemiological study of post-pandemic pediatric common respiratory pathogens using multiplex detection

Area of Science:

• Pediatric infectious diseases
• Virology
• Public health

Background:

• The epidemiology of pediatric respiratory viral infections post-COVID-19 remains unclear.
• Understanding viral characteristics is crucial after the relaxation of non-pharmaceutical interventions.
• This study focuses on children hospitalized with acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of pediatric respiratory viral infections.
• To compare viral patterns before and after COVID-19 intervention relaxation.
• To evaluate the diagnostic performance of a six-panel respiratory pathogen detection system.

Main Methods:

• Multiplex real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to detect six common respiratory viruses.
• Epidemiological and clinical data were collected from electronic health records.
• Binary logistic regression identified risk factors for respiratory tract infections; diagnostic performance was assessed.

Main Results:

• Over 11,000 samples analyzed; 3228 tested positive for respiratory pathogens.
• RSV and PIV-3 were more common in younger children, while FluB predominated in school-age children.
• RSV and PIV-3 were risk factors for lower respiratory tract infections; RSV was linked to severe pneumonia.

Conclusions:

• Six common respiratory viruses showed varied seasonal and age-specific prevalence post-COVID-19.
• RSV and PIV-3 are associated with lower respiratory tract infections, while FluA, FluB, and ADV are linked to upper respiratory tract infections.
• Multiplex RT-qPCR is effective for rapid and accurate detection, aiding ARTI management in children.