| Objective To investigate the distribution and epidemiological characteristics of respiratory tract infections in pediatric patients in Hefei.Methods A total of 257 respiratory tract specimens from pediatric patients with suspected respiratory tract infectionin Anhui Provincial Hospital from September to December 2018 were collected, including 250 pharyngeal swabs and 7 alveolar lavagefluid. All specimens were detected by multiplex PCR kits of 13 respiratory pathogens. Combined with clinical data, the results of multiplex PCR were analyzed statistically.Results The positive rate of 257 specimens was 66.1% (170/257), of which the virus positiverate was 60.7% (156/257). The positive rate of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV, 31.5%, 81/257) was the highest followed by the humanrhinovirus (HRV, 17.5%, 45/257), adenovirus (ADV, 7.8%, 20/257). The detection rate of atypical pathogens was 8.2%, of which Mycoplasma pneumoniae was more common, and the positive rate was 7.8% (20/257). Two or more pathogens were detected in 23 cases, andrespiratory syncytial virus and rhinovirus co-infection ranked first. The positive rate of pathogens in male respiratory tract infection was67.81% (99/146) and that in female respiratory tract infection was 63.96% (71/111). There was no significant difference in the positiverate between male and female respiratory tract infections (χ2=0.416, P=0.519). The highest positive rate of respiratory syncytial virus was observed in 1-2 years old group (χ2=16.562, P=0.001). The positive rates among different age groups were 37.8% (34/90), 40.9%(36/88), 13.7% (7/51), 14.3% (4/28) , and the positive rate of respiratory syncytial virus decreased with age. Mycoplasma pneumoniaeinfection mostly occurred in 6-15 years old group (χ2=34.346,P<0.001). The positive rates among different age groups were 0.0% (0/90), 3.4% (3/88), 13.7% (7/51), 35.7% (10/28), and the positive rate of mycoplasma pneumoniae increased with age.Conclusion Respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, rhinovirus and Mycoplasma pneumoniae are more common among the pathogens of respiratorytract infection in children. There is no difference in pathogen infection between genders. Respiratory syncytial virus and Mycoplasmapneumoniae infections are different among age groups. |
