To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of respiratory pathogens in hospitalized children before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically focusing on the impact of the pandemic on infection rates.
Key Findings:
Infants had the highest positive rate of respiratory pathogens at 39.25%, while school-age children had the lowest at 25.34%.
Pathogen positive rates declined during 2020-2021 compared to pre-pandemic levels, with a resurgence noted in late 2022.
After lifting restrictions in 2023, significant rebounds in FluA, FluB, PIV1, PIV3, AdV, and RSV were observed.
Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most common bacterial pathogen, followed by Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis.
Co-infection analysis revealed significant interactions among certain bacterial pathogens and a higher likelihood of M. pneumoniae co-infection with viral pathogens.
Interpretation:
The COVID-19 pandemic initially suppressed respiratory infections, followed by a marked resurgence, particularly in RSV and influenza, indicating an 'immunity debt' phenomenon in children born during lockdown, which may require further investigation.
Limitations:
The study is limited to a single tertiary hospital in Changsha, which may not represent broader regional trends and could affect the generalizability of the findings.
Retrospective design may introduce biases in data collection and interpretation.
Conclusion:
The findings highlight the need for age-specific surveillance and preventive measures to address the changing landscape of pediatric respiratory infections post-pandemic, emphasizing the importance of public health policy adaptations.
