Abstract
BackgroundViruses are the main infectious agents of acute respiratory infections in children. We aim to describe the epidemiological characteristics of viral pathogens of acute respiratory tract infections in outpatient children.MethodsFrom April 2018 to March 2019, the results of viral detection using oral pharyngeal swabs from 103,210 children with acute respiratory tract infection in the outpatient department of the Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, were retrospectively analyzed. Viral antigens, including adenovirus (ADV), influenza A (FLUA), influenza B (FLUB) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), were detected by the colloidal gold method.ResultsAt least one virus was detected in 38,355 cases; the positivity rate was 37.2%. A total of 1910 cases of mixed infection with two or more viruses were detected, and the positivity rate of multiple infection was 1.9%. The ADV positivity rate was highest in the 3–6-year-old group (18.7%), the FLUA positivity rate was highest in the > 6-year-old group (21.6%), the FLUB positivity rate was highest in the > 6-year-old group (6.6%), and the RSV positivity rate was highest in the < 1-year-old group (10.6%). There was a significant difference in the positivity rate of viral infection among different age groups (χ2 = 1280.7, P < 0.001). The rate of positive viral infection was highest in winter (47.1%). The ADV infection rate was highest in spring (18.2%). The rates of FLUA and FLUB positivity were highest in winter (28.8% and 3.6%, respectively). The rate of RSV positivity was highest in autumn (17.4%). The rate of positive viral infection in different seasons was significantly different (χ2 = 6459.1, P < 0.001).ConclusionsViral infection rates in children differ for different ages and seasons. The positivity rate of ADV is highest in the preschool period and that of RSV is highest in infants; that of FLU increases with age. The total positive rate of viral infection in different seasons is highest in winter, as is the rate of FLU positivity.
Highlights
Viruses are the main infectious agents of acute respiratory infections in children
From April 1st, 2018, to March 31st, 2019, 103,210 children were diagnosed with Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in the outpatient clinic at the Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine
Detection of viral antigens The viral antigens ADV, Influenza A (FLUA), Influenza B (FLUB) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) were detected by the colloidal gold method (Kaibili respiratory virus antigen detection kit, Hangzhou Genesis Corporation)
Summary
Viruses are the main infectious agents of acute respiratory infections in children. We aim to describe the epidemiological characteristics of viral pathogens of acute respiratory tract infections in outpatient children. Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are common respiratory diseases in childhood. ARIs are the main cause of morbidity, hospitalization and death in children and cause economic losses to both families and society [1,2,3]. Viruses are the main infectious agents of ARIs [4], among. Our hospital is the only third-class children’s hospital in Zhejiang Province. The daily outpatient volume is more than 6000, and children from all over the province visit the facility. To understand the epidemic characteristics of ARIs in Zhejiang Province, we analyzed ADV, FLUA, FLUB and RSV detection rates in outpatients from April 2018 to March 2019
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