Targeted next-generation sequencing for pediatric community-acquired pneumonia pathogen detection: a single-center
Luoman Yan1, Haiyan Zhang1,2, Hengheng Fu1
1Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
|August 13, 2026
Summary
Targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) significantly improves pathogen detection in children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) compared to conventional methods. This advanced technique aids in timely diagnosis and treatment, potentially reducing mortality in pediatric CAP cases.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric infectious diseases
- Microbiology
- Genomics
Background:
- Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) presents a significant health burden in children, with high incidence and mortality rates.
- Targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) offers rapid and accurate pathogen identification but its utility in pediatric CAP is not well-established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the clinical utility of tNGS for pathogen detection in children diagnosed with CAP.
- To compare the diagnostic performance of tNGS against conventional microbiological tests (CMTs).
Main Methods:
- A retrospective study of 838 children with CAP admitted to Chengdu Women and Children's Central Hospital.
- tNGS testing was performed, and results were compared with data from CMTs.
Main Results:
- tNGS demonstrated a significantly higher effective detection rate (94.0%) than CMTs (71.0%).
- The most common pathogens identified were *Mycoplasma pneumoniae*, *Haemophilus influenzae*, and *Streptococcus pneumoniae*.
- Age-specific pathogen patterns were observed, with distinct profiles for infants, preschool, and school-aged children.
Conclusions:
- tNGS is a superior diagnostic tool for identifying a broad range of pathogens, including coinfections, in pediatric CAP.
- Integrating tNGS results with clinical presentation enables precise early diagnosis and guides appropriate therapeutic decisions.
- The use of tNGS can potentially mitigate disease severity and reduce mortality in children with CAP.
