Abstract: Objective To explore the pathogenic spectrum characteristics of hospitalized children infected with respiratory pathogens in order to provide a basis for the diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control of related infectious diseases. Method From June 2022 to March 2023, 2108 respiratory pathogen samples of hospitalized children were collected in Longgang District Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Shenzhen. Multiple polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect influenza A virus (FluA), influenza B virus (FluB), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenovirus (ADV), rhinovirus (HRV), and mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) in the samples, and the overall detection situation was analyzed. The characteristics of pathogen distribution in different age groups, genders, disease diagnoses, months, and time periods were compared. Result The total positive detection rate of pathogens was 50.05%. HRV (333 cases, 15.80%), RSV (237 cases, 11.24%), and FluA (194 cases, 9.20%) accounted for a high proportion of single infections. The combined frequency of HRV and RSV was the highest in mixed infections. There were statistical differences in the positive detection rates of pathogen single infection and mixed infection (except the positive rate of three pathogens) in hospitalized children of different age groups (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the positive detection rate of pathogen single infection and mixed infection among hospitalized children of different genders (P>0.05). The detection rate of FluA was the highest in children with acute bronchitis (27.24%), RSV was the highest in bronchial pneumonia (19.14%), ADV was the highest in children with acute pharyngitis (47.06%), and HRV and RSV were the highest in children with asthmatic bronchitis (50.00% and 48.08%). The positive rate of MP was the highest in children with severe pneumonia (36.73%). FluA detection rate had two small peaks in July 2022 and March 2023; RSV detection rate was the highest in December 2022; HRV detection rate had two small peaks in November 2022 and February 2023; and ADV and MP were detected every month. Conclusion The main pathogens responsible for infections in hospitalized children with respiratory infections are HRV and RSV, and attention should also be paid to the prevention and control of multiple infections.

Key words: Hospitalization, Children, Respiratory tract, Infection, Pathogen, Epidemiology