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Published on: February 23, 2014

Pathogen Profile of Pediatric Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Wuhan, 2023: A BALF-Based Study

Zhongjian Wang1, Yi Gan1, Miao Wang1

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei Province, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China, hust.edu.cn.

Canadian Respiratory Journal
|July 10, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Pathogen detection in pediatric community-acquired pneumonia is nearly universal, with frequent mixed infections. Pathogen distribution varies significantly by patient sex, age, and season, highlighting complex epidemiological patterns.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric infectious diseases
  • Respiratory medicine
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a significant cause of childhood morbidity.
  • Understanding pathogen distribution is crucial for effective diagnosis and treatment of pediatric CAP.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the distribution characteristics of various pathogens identified in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from children diagnosed with CAP.
  • To analyze variations in pathogen prevalence based on demographic factors and seasonality.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of etiological data from 1526 pediatric patients treated for CAP.
  • Data collected from January 2023 to December 2023 at the Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei Province.

Main Results:

  • A near-universal pathogen detection rate (99.9%) was observed in BALF.
  • Mycoplasma pneumoniae, rhinovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and human bocavirus were the most common pathogens.
  • Mixed infections were prevalent (62%), with specific co-infections and pathogen distributions varying by sex (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus, Pneumocystis jirovecii more common in males) and age (e.g., human bocavirus in infants, Epstein-Barr virus in older children).
  • Seasonal variations were noted for multiple pathogens, including Mycoplasma pneumoniae (autumn), Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (spring/summer), and respiratory syncytial virus (winter/spring).

Conclusions:

  • Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid analysis reveals a very high pathogen detection rate in pediatric CAP.
  • Mixed infections are common, underscoring the complexity of CAP etiology.
  • Significant variations in pathogen distribution by sex, age, and season necessitate tailored diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
Abstract

Keywords:
Mycoplasma pneumoniaebronchoalveolar lavage fluidchildrencommunity-acquired pneumoniapathogen

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