Distribution characteristics of pathogen spectrum in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of 1526 children with community-acquired pneumonia in Wuhan in 2023

Abstract Objective To analyze the distribution characteristics of pathogens in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of children with community-acquired pneumonia. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on the etiological data of 1526 children who were diagnosed and treated at the Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei Province from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023. Results Among the 1526 children, 1524 (99.9%) were positive for pathogens. The top five detected pathogens were Mycoplasma pneumoniae , rhinovirus, Epstein‒Barrvirus, Streptococcus pneumoniae , and human bocavirus. The mixed infection rate was 62%. EB virus, rhinovirus, Streptococcus pneumoniae , human bocavirus and Haemophilus influenzae were the most common coinfectionsof Mycoplasma pneumoniae . Staphylococcus aureus and Pneumocystis jirovecii infections were more common in men than in women. Human bocavirus, parainfluenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, cytomegalovirus, Pneumocystis jirovecii and WU polyomavirus are more common in infants and young children, and Epstein‒Barrvirus is more common in preschool-aged and school-aged children. More than half (51.6%) of the Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections occurred in autumn. Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, human parainfluenza virus and cytomegalovirus were more common in spring and summer, and influenza B virus and adenovirus were more common in autumn and winter. Respiratory syncytial virus, influenza A virus and Fusobacterium nucleatum were more common in winter and spring. Enteroviruses were more common in summer and autumn. Conclusion The positive rate of pathogen detection in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid is extremely high. Most patients had mixed infections. There are sex, age and seasondifferences in the distributionsof some pathogens.