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BMC Infect Dis
. 2025 Nov 10;25(1):1532.
doi: 10.1186/s12879-025-11995-z. Epidemiological and etiological characteristics of respiratory infections among hospitalized patients: insights from a 12-pathogen surveillance study in Eastern China
Feihu Shen # 1 , Haipeng Li # 1 , Shoujuan Chen 2 , Min Wang 3 , Hanhan Li 4 , Xin Zhou 1 , Xingyu Mu 1 , Jialing Zhang 1 , Lei Xu 5
Affiliations
Background: Severe acute respiratory infections pose a significant global public health threat, yet their pathogen profiles and epidemiological characteristics vary regionally. Lianyungang, a temperate monsoon climate region in eastern China, lacks comprehensive data on the etiological composition and coinfection patterns of respiratory infections. To improve clinical management and preventive measures, this study aimed to investigate the distribution of pathogens and trends in coinfections among hospitalized patients in this region.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 2,132 hospitalized patients with respiratory infections at a comprehensive hospital in Lianyungang from January to December 2024. Respiratory samples (throat swabs, sputum and nasopharyngeal aspirate) were collected and tested via multiplex PCR for 12 pathogens, including influenza A virus, influenza B virus, respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, human rhinovirus, M. pneumoniae, K. pneumoniae, S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, P. aeruginosa, L. pneumophila, and S. aureus. Demographic characteristics, seasonal trends, departmental differences, and coinfection patterns were analyzed.
Results: Pathogens were detected in 61.73% (1,317/2,132) of patients, with bacterial dominance (71.34%). S. pneumoniae (25.60%), H. influenzae (18.55%), and K. pneumoniae (12.36%) were the most prevalent. Viral pathogens exhibited the highest prevalence in pediatric populations (75.60%), with rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, and adenovirus dominating in 0-4-year-olds. Mycoplasma pneumoniae detection significantly increased in 5-14-year-olds (38.89%), whereas bacterial pathogen detection predominated in patients over 15 years of age. Male patients significantly outnumbered female patients (61.35% vs. 38.65%), with higher S. pneumoniae detection in males (27.98% vs. 21.41%). The peak hospital visits (42.14%) were recorded in winter, with S. pneumoniae circulating year-round. Influenza B virus and M. pneumoniae levels peak early in the year, whereas influenza A virus levels increase markedly late in the year. Mixed infections occurred in 33.79% of the cases, predominantly bacterial‒bacterial combinations (68.31%), such as S. pneumoniae-H. influenzae coinfections. Rhinovirus frequently appeared in bacterial-viral coinfections (38.71%), whereas influenza A virus dominated viral-viral combinations (44.44%).
Conclusion: This study highlights bacterial predominance, age-specific pathogen distributions, and high coinfection rates in Lianyungang. The findings underscore the need for age- and season-tailored clinical management, enhanced viral testing in pediatrics, and prioritized pneumococcal vaccination for elderly individuals. These insights provide critical evidence for optimizing local antimicrobial stewardship and public health strategies in regions with similar climates.
Keywords: Coinfection patterns; Eastern china; Epidemiological characteristics; Pathogen spectrum; Severe acute respiratory infections.
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. 2025 Nov 10;25(1):1532.
doi: 10.1186/s12879-025-11995-z. Epidemiological and etiological characteristics of respiratory infections among hospitalized patients: insights from a 12-pathogen surveillance study in Eastern China
Feihu Shen # 1 , Haipeng Li # 1 , Shoujuan Chen 2 , Min Wang 3 , Hanhan Li 4 , Xin Zhou 1 , Xingyu Mu 1 , Jialing Zhang 1 , Lei Xu 5
Affiliations
- PMID: 41214574
- DOI: 10.1186/s12879-025-11995-z
Background: Severe acute respiratory infections pose a significant global public health threat, yet their pathogen profiles and epidemiological characteristics vary regionally. Lianyungang, a temperate monsoon climate region in eastern China, lacks comprehensive data on the etiological composition and coinfection patterns of respiratory infections. To improve clinical management and preventive measures, this study aimed to investigate the distribution of pathogens and trends in coinfections among hospitalized patients in this region.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 2,132 hospitalized patients with respiratory infections at a comprehensive hospital in Lianyungang from January to December 2024. Respiratory samples (throat swabs, sputum and nasopharyngeal aspirate) were collected and tested via multiplex PCR for 12 pathogens, including influenza A virus, influenza B virus, respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, human rhinovirus, M. pneumoniae, K. pneumoniae, S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, P. aeruginosa, L. pneumophila, and S. aureus. Demographic characteristics, seasonal trends, departmental differences, and coinfection patterns were analyzed.
Results: Pathogens were detected in 61.73% (1,317/2,132) of patients, with bacterial dominance (71.34%). S. pneumoniae (25.60%), H. influenzae (18.55%), and K. pneumoniae (12.36%) were the most prevalent. Viral pathogens exhibited the highest prevalence in pediatric populations (75.60%), with rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, and adenovirus dominating in 0-4-year-olds. Mycoplasma pneumoniae detection significantly increased in 5-14-year-olds (38.89%), whereas bacterial pathogen detection predominated in patients over 15 years of age. Male patients significantly outnumbered female patients (61.35% vs. 38.65%), with higher S. pneumoniae detection in males (27.98% vs. 21.41%). The peak hospital visits (42.14%) were recorded in winter, with S. pneumoniae circulating year-round. Influenza B virus and M. pneumoniae levels peak early in the year, whereas influenza A virus levels increase markedly late in the year. Mixed infections occurred in 33.79% of the cases, predominantly bacterial‒bacterial combinations (68.31%), such as S. pneumoniae-H. influenzae coinfections. Rhinovirus frequently appeared in bacterial-viral coinfections (38.71%), whereas influenza A virus dominated viral-viral combinations (44.44%).
Conclusion: This study highlights bacterial predominance, age-specific pathogen distributions, and high coinfection rates in Lianyungang. The findings underscore the need for age- and season-tailored clinical management, enhanced viral testing in pediatrics, and prioritized pneumococcal vaccination for elderly individuals. These insights provide critical evidence for optimizing local antimicrobial stewardship and public health strategies in regions with similar climates.
Keywords: Coinfection patterns; Eastern china; Epidemiological characteristics; Pathogen spectrum; Severe acute respiratory infections.
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