Resurgence of common respiratory viruses and mycoplasma pneumoniae after ending the zero-COVID policy in Shanghai
Abstract China has adhered to policies of zero-COVID for almost three years since the outbreak of COVID-19, which has remarkably affected the circulation of respiratory pathogens. However, China has begun to end the zero-COVID policies in late 2022. Here, we reported a resurgence of common respirato...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| author | Pengcheng Liu Menghua Xu Lijuan Lu Xunhua Zhu Ran Jia Niuniu Dong Liyun Su Jin Xu |
| author_facet | Pengcheng Liu Menghua Xu Lijuan Lu Xunhua Zhu Ran Jia Niuniu Dong Liyun Su Jin Xu |
| author_sort | Pengcheng Liu |
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| description | Abstract China has adhered to policies of zero-COVID for almost three years since the outbreak of COVID-19, which has remarkably affected the circulation of respiratory pathogens. However, China has begun to end the zero-COVID policies in late 2022. Here, we reported a resurgence of common respiratory viruses and Mycoplasma pneumoniae with unique epidemiological characteristics among children after ending the zero-COVID policy in Shanghai, China, 2023. Children hospitalized with acute respiratory tract infections were enrolled from January 2022 to December 2023. Nine common respiratory viruses and 2 atypical bacteria were detected in respiratory specimens from the enrolled patients using a multiplex PCR-based assay. The data were analyzed and compared between the periods before (2022) and after (2023) ending the zero-COVID policies. A total of 8550 patients were enrolled, including 6170 patients in 2023 and 2380 patients in 2022. Rhinovirus (14.2%) was the dominant pathogen in 2022, however, Mycoplasma pneumoniae (38.8%) was the dominant pathogen in 2023. Compared with 2022, the detection rates of pathogens were significantly increased in 2023 (72.9% vs. 41.8%, p < 0.001). An out‐of-season epidemic of respiratory syncytial virus was observed during the spring and summer of 2023. The median age of children infected with respiratory viruses in 2023 was significantly greater than that in 2022. Besides, mixed infections were more frequent in 2023 (23.8% vs. 28.9%, p < 0.001). China is now facing multiple respiratory pathogen epidemics with changing seasonality, altered age distribution, and increasing mixed infection rates among children in 2023. Our finding highlights the need for public health interventions to prepare for the respiratory pathogen outbreaks in the post-COVID-19 era. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-ebd278901350461b8c7f72fda38585b12025-01-19T12:22:10ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-011511810.1038/s41598-025-85852-zResurgence of common respiratory viruses and mycoplasma pneumoniae after ending the zero-COVID policy in ShanghaiPengcheng Liu0Menghua Xu1Lijuan Lu2Xunhua Zhu3Ran Jia4Niuniu Dong5Liyun Su6Jin Xu7Department of Clinical Laboratory, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, National Children’s Medical CenterDepartment of Clinical Laboratory, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, National Children’s Medical CenterDepartment of Clinical Laboratory, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, National Children’s Medical CenterDepartment of Clinical Laboratory, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, National Children’s Medical CenterDepartment of Clinical Laboratory, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, National Children’s Medical CenterDepartment of Clinical Laboratory, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, National Children’s Medical CenterDepartment of Clinical Laboratory, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, National Children’s Medical CenterDepartment of Clinical Laboratory, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, National Children’s Medical CenterAbstract China has adhered to policies of zero-COVID for almost three years since the outbreak of COVID-19, which has remarkably affected the circulation of respiratory pathogens. However, China has begun to end the zero-COVID policies in late 2022. Here, we reported a resurgence of common respiratory viruses and Mycoplasma pneumoniae with unique epidemiological characteristics among children after ending the zero-COVID policy in Shanghai, China, 2023. Children hospitalized with acute respiratory tract infections were enrolled from January 2022 to December 2023. Nine common respiratory viruses and 2 atypical bacteria were detected in respiratory specimens from the enrolled patients using a multiplex PCR-based assay. The data were analyzed and compared between the periods before (2022) and after (2023) ending the zero-COVID policies. A total of 8550 patients were enrolled, including 6170 patients in 2023 and 2380 patients in 2022. Rhinovirus (14.2%) was the dominant pathogen in 2022, however, Mycoplasma pneumoniae (38.8%) was the dominant pathogen in 2023. Compared with 2022, the detection rates of pathogens were significantly increased in 2023 (72.9% vs. 41.8%, p < 0.001). An out‐of-season epidemic of respiratory syncytial virus was observed during the spring and summer of 2023. The median age of children infected with respiratory viruses in 2023 was significantly greater than that in 2022. Besides, mixed infections were more frequent in 2023 (23.8% vs. 28.9%, p < 0.001). China is now facing multiple respiratory pathogen epidemics with changing seasonality, altered age distribution, and increasing mixed infection rates among children in 2023. Our finding highlights the need for public health interventions to prepare for the respiratory pathogen outbreaks in the post-COVID-19 era.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-85852-zCOVID-19NPIsChildrenRespiratory pathogensPrevalence |
| spellingShingle | Pengcheng Liu Menghua Xu Lijuan Lu Xunhua Zhu Ran Jia Niuniu Dong Liyun Su Jin Xu Resurgence of common respiratory viruses and mycoplasma pneumoniae after ending the zero-COVID policy in Shanghai Scientific Reports COVID-19 NPIs Children Respiratory pathogens Prevalence |
| title | Resurgence of common respiratory viruses and mycoplasma pneumoniae after ending the zero-COVID policy in Shanghai |
| title_full | Resurgence of common respiratory viruses and mycoplasma pneumoniae after ending the zero-COVID policy in Shanghai |
| title_fullStr | Resurgence of common respiratory viruses and mycoplasma pneumoniae after ending the zero-COVID policy in Shanghai |
| title_full_unstemmed | Resurgence of common respiratory viruses and mycoplasma pneumoniae after ending the zero-COVID policy in Shanghai |
| title_short | Resurgence of common respiratory viruses and mycoplasma pneumoniae after ending the zero-COVID policy in Shanghai |
| title_sort | resurgence of common respiratory viruses and mycoplasma pneumoniae after ending the zero covid policy in shanghai |
| topic | COVID-19 NPIs Children Respiratory pathogens Prevalence |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-85852-z |
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