Impact of COVID-19 pandemic measures on hospitalizations and epidemiological patterns of twelve respiratory pathogens in children with acute respiratory infections in southern China
Abstract Objectives To investigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic measures on hospitalizations and the alterations and persistence of the epidemiological patterns of 12 common respiratory pathogens in children during the COVID-19 pandemic and after the cessation of the “zero-COVID-19” policy in sou...
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BMC
2025-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Infectious Diseases |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-025-10463-y |
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| author | Wei Wang Xiaojuan Luo Zhenmin Ren Xiaoying Fu Yunsheng Chen WenJian Wang Yanmin Bao Yuejie Zheng Ke Cao Jiehua Chen |
| author_facet | Wei Wang Xiaojuan Luo Zhenmin Ren Xiaoying Fu Yunsheng Chen WenJian Wang Yanmin Bao Yuejie Zheng Ke Cao Jiehua Chen |
| author_sort | Wei Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objectives To investigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic measures on hospitalizations and the alterations and persistence of the epidemiological patterns of 12 common respiratory pathogens in children during the COVID-19 pandemic and after the cessation of the “zero-COVID-19” policy in southern China. Methods Respiratory specimens were collected from hospitalized children with acute respiratory infections at Shenzhen Children’s Hospital from January 2020 to June 2024. Twelve common respiratory pathogens were detected using multiplex PCR. Data on demographic characteristics, pathogen detection rates, epidemiological patterns, co-infections, and ICU admission rates were compared between the ‘during COVID-19’ period (Phase 1: January 2020 to December 2022) and the ‘post COVID-19’ period (Phase 2: January 2023 to June 2024). Results In Phase 2, there was a significant increase in average annual cases, with a higher median age of affected children, higher pathogen detection rates, and increased co-infection rates compared to Phase 1. The epidemiological patterns of most pathogens were altered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Human Parainfluenza Virus, Human Metapneumovirus, Human Bocavirus (HBOV), and Human Coronavirus remained active during Phase 1, while Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp) and Adenovirus (ADV) were low, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) lacked a seasonal peak in 2022. In Phase 2, Mp, ADV, and RSV experienced outbreaks, with Mp’s high prevalence continuing into 2024. RSV showed out-of-season epidemics for two consecutive years. Influenza A (H1N1), Influenza A (H3N2), and InfB lost their seasonal patterns during Phase 1 but reemerged and regained their seasonal characteristics in 2023–2024. ICU admission rates did not significantly differ between the two phases, except for HBOV, which had higher rates in Phase 2. Conclusion The epidemiological patterns of various respiratory pathogens were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to varying degrees. Pathogens suppressed during the pandemic experienced outbreaks or out-of-season epidemics after the lifting of non-pharmaceutical interventions, with Mp and RSV continuing into the second year and HBOV associated ICU admission rates increasing in the post-pandemic era. Continuous monitoring of these patterns is essential to understand the duration of these effects and to inform effective response strategies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4b6e069e5d06456d9d910f7cb45aea65 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2334 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Infectious Diseases |
| spelling | doaj-art-4b6e069e5d06456d9d910f7cb45aea652025-01-26T12:17:15ZengBMCBMC Infectious Diseases1471-23342025-01-0125111110.1186/s12879-025-10463-yImpact of COVID-19 pandemic measures on hospitalizations and epidemiological patterns of twelve respiratory pathogens in children with acute respiratory infections in southern ChinaWei Wang0Xiaojuan Luo1Zhenmin Ren2Xiaoying Fu3Yunsheng Chen4WenJian Wang5Yanmin Bao6Yuejie Zheng7Ke Cao8Jiehua Chen9Department of Respiratory, Shenzhen Children′s HospitalDepartment of Clinical Laboratory, Shenzhen Children′s HospitalDepartment of Clinical Laboratory, Shenzhen Children′s HospitalDepartment of Clinical Laboratory, Shenzhen Children′s HospitalDepartment of Clinical Laboratory, Shenzhen Children′s HospitalDepartment of Respiratory, Shenzhen Children′s HospitalDepartment of Respiratory, Shenzhen Children′s HospitalDepartment of Respiratory, Shenzhen Children′s HospitalDepartment of Clinical Laboratory, Shenzhen Children′s HospitalDepartment of Respiratory, Shenzhen Children′s HospitalAbstract Objectives To investigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic measures on hospitalizations and the alterations and persistence of the epidemiological patterns of 12 common respiratory pathogens in children during the COVID-19 pandemic and after the cessation of the “zero-COVID-19” policy in southern China. Methods Respiratory specimens were collected from hospitalized children with acute respiratory infections at Shenzhen Children’s Hospital from January 2020 to June 2024. Twelve common respiratory pathogens were detected using multiplex PCR. Data on demographic characteristics, pathogen detection rates, epidemiological patterns, co-infections, and ICU admission rates were compared between the ‘during COVID-19’ period (Phase 1: January 2020 to December 2022) and the ‘post COVID-19’ period (Phase 2: January 2023 to June 2024). Results In Phase 2, there was a significant increase in average annual cases, with a higher median age of affected children, higher pathogen detection rates, and increased co-infection rates compared to Phase 1. The epidemiological patterns of most pathogens were altered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Human Parainfluenza Virus, Human Metapneumovirus, Human Bocavirus (HBOV), and Human Coronavirus remained active during Phase 1, while Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp) and Adenovirus (ADV) were low, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) lacked a seasonal peak in 2022. In Phase 2, Mp, ADV, and RSV experienced outbreaks, with Mp’s high prevalence continuing into 2024. RSV showed out-of-season epidemics for two consecutive years. Influenza A (H1N1), Influenza A (H3N2), and InfB lost their seasonal patterns during Phase 1 but reemerged and regained their seasonal characteristics in 2023–2024. ICU admission rates did not significantly differ between the two phases, except for HBOV, which had higher rates in Phase 2. Conclusion The epidemiological patterns of various respiratory pathogens were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to varying degrees. Pathogens suppressed during the pandemic experienced outbreaks or out-of-season epidemics after the lifting of non-pharmaceutical interventions, with Mp and RSV continuing into the second year and HBOV associated ICU admission rates increasing in the post-pandemic era. Continuous monitoring of these patterns is essential to understand the duration of these effects and to inform effective response strategies.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-025-10463-yCOVID-19Non-pharmaceutical interventionsPathogensEpidemiologyChildrenAcute respiratory infection |
| spellingShingle | Wei Wang Xiaojuan Luo Zhenmin Ren Xiaoying Fu Yunsheng Chen WenJian Wang Yanmin Bao Yuejie Zheng Ke Cao Jiehua Chen Impact of COVID-19 pandemic measures on hospitalizations and epidemiological patterns of twelve respiratory pathogens in children with acute respiratory infections in southern China BMC Infectious Diseases COVID-19 Non-pharmaceutical interventions Pathogens Epidemiology Children Acute respiratory infection |
| title | Impact of COVID-19 pandemic measures on hospitalizations and epidemiological patterns of twelve respiratory pathogens in children with acute respiratory infections in southern China |
| title_full | Impact of COVID-19 pandemic measures on hospitalizations and epidemiological patterns of twelve respiratory pathogens in children with acute respiratory infections in southern China |
| title_fullStr | Impact of COVID-19 pandemic measures on hospitalizations and epidemiological patterns of twelve respiratory pathogens in children with acute respiratory infections in southern China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of COVID-19 pandemic measures on hospitalizations and epidemiological patterns of twelve respiratory pathogens in children with acute respiratory infections in southern China |
| title_short | Impact of COVID-19 pandemic measures on hospitalizations and epidemiological patterns of twelve respiratory pathogens in children with acute respiratory infections in southern China |
| title_sort | impact of covid 19 pandemic measures on hospitalizations and epidemiological patterns of twelve respiratory pathogens in children with acute respiratory infections in southern china |
| topic | COVID-19 Non-pharmaceutical interventions Pathogens Epidemiology Children Acute respiratory infection |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-025-10463-y |
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