Clinical Focus ›› 2025, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (12): 1087-1092.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-583X.2025.12.006

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Epidemiological characteristics of respiratory infection pathogens at a tertiary hospital in Tianjin,2024-2025

Yue Yingying, Wang Meng, Zhou Chunlei, Mu Hong()   

  1. Department of Clinical Laboratory,Tianjin First Central Hospital,Tianjin 300192,China
  • Received:2025-08-18 Online:2025-12-20 Published:2025-12-30
  • Contact: Mu Hong,Email: tzyzxmuhong@163.com

Abstract:

Objective To characterize the epidemiology of six common respiratory pathogens-influenza A virus (IFV-A),influenza B virus (IFV-B),respiratory syncytial virus (RSV),adenovirus (ADV),Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP),and human rhinovirus (HRV)-and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) among patients presenting to a tertiary hospital in Tianjin from April 2024 to March 2025. Methods Nasopharyngeal swabs were obtained from outpatients and inpatients at Tianjin First Central Hospital who presented from April 2024 to March 2025 with symptoms of acute respiratory infection (fever,cough,nasal congestion,expectoration,sneezing,sore throat,dyspnea,etc.) or who had radiographic evidence of pneumonia. Nucleic acid was extracted from all specimens; detection of the six common respiratory pathogens was performed using a multiplex nucleic acid assay,and SARS-CoV-2 testing was conducted using an approved SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid test kit. Results For the six pathogen panel,6,399 specimens were tested and 2,009 were positive (overall positivity 31.40%). Pathogen-specific positivity rates were: IFV-A 8.28%,IFV-B 0.03%,RSV 1.06%,ADV 2.77%,MP 13.46%,and HRV 5.80%. By sex,overall positivity was 30.50% in males and 32.42% in females (χ2=2.707,P=0.100). By age group,positivity was 61.93% in children,25.09% in young and middle-aged adults,and 18.90% in older adults (χ2=901.013,P<0.01). Seasonal distribution showed positivity rates of 21.74% in spring,24.11% in summer,36.59% in autumn,and 39.04% in winter (χ2=171.520,P<0.01). For SARS-CoV-2,12,554 specimens were tested and 2,304 were positive (overall positivity 18.35%). SARS-CoV-2 positivity was 18.01% in males and 18.77% in females (χ2=1.203,P=0.273). By age group,rates were 15.23% in children,16.36% in young and middle aged adults,and 19.75% in older adults (χ2=24.732,P<0.01). Seasonal SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates were 16.94% in spring,23.08% in summer,20.54% in autumn,and 13.28% in winter (χ2=112.159,P<0.01). Conclusion From April 2024 to March 2025,respiratory pathogen detection among patients with respiratory infections in Tianjin demonstrated distinct age related and seasonal patterns. These findings support the adoption of targeted prevention and treatment measures that account for population characteristics and seasonal trends.

Key words: respiratory tract infections, Tianjin, pathogen, epidemiology

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