Analysis on viral pathogens in hospitalized children with acute respiratory tract infection from 2014 to 2017 in Shijiazhuang

Abstract

Objective \nTo investigate the epidemiologic features of respiratory viral etiology in hospitalized children with acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI) in Shijiazhuang. \n \n \nMethods \nA total of 28 512 cases of hospitalized children with clinical diagnosis of ARTI in Children′ s Hospital of Hebei Province from 2014 to 2017 were recruited into this study. One nasopharyngeal swab was collected from each patient. Immunofluorescence assay was used to detect seven kinds of respiratory viruses, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza virus (PIV) type 1-3, influenza virus type A, B (FluA, FluB) and adenovirus (ADV). \n \n \nResults \nAt least one viral pathogen was identified in each of 9 263 out of 28 512 patients and the overall positive rate was 32.5%. Of 9 263 virus-positive patients, 9 070 (97.9%) had mono-infection. The most frequently detected virus was RSV, followed by PIV-3 and FluA. The positive rates of RSV and PIV-1 showed annually decreasing tendency, meanwhile the positive rate of FluA increased in the nearly two years. The detection rate of ADV and PIV-1 increased every other year. There was a significant difference in the positive rate among different years (P<0.05). The overall positive rate decreased along with the age increased (linear by linear association χ2=1191.289, P<0.05). The detection rates of RSV and PIV-3 were the highest in groups of <1 year old and 1-3 years old and decreased along with the age increased. The preschool children were more susceptible to developing FluA, FluB and ADV related diseases. There was a significant difference in the positive rate among different age groups (P<0.05). The viral distribution was uneven in different seasons, and the infection peaked in winter, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The epidemic seasons of RSV and FluA were winter, and FluB infection was epidemic in winter and spring. The positive rates of PIV-1 and PIV-2 were most common in summer and autumn. PIV-3 was usually prevalent in spring and summer and ADV was prevalent sporadically. \n \n \nConclusions \nRSV is the most common pathogen in hospitalized children with clinical diagnosis of ARTI during 2014-2017 and the positive rate of which showed an annually decreasing tendency. The positive rate of FluA increased in the nearly two years. Children in infancy are susceptible to the seven common respiratory viruses and winter is the epidemic season for these viruses. \n \n \nKey words: \nRespiratory tract infection;\xa0Virus;\xa0Child