Abstract
Abstract
Background
Acute respiratory infections pose a substantial global health burden, particularly among children. Influenza-like illness (ILI) is a common syndrome with complex and insufficiently characterized etiology, especially in central China. This study aimed to delineate the respiratory pathogen spectrum, age-specific dynamics, temporal succession, and co-infection patterns in pediatric ILI.
Methods
A total of 154 pediatric ILI outpatients were enrolled at Henan Children’s Hospital during the 2025–2026 epidemic season. Respiratory specimens were analyzed using a 132-target multiple nucleotide polymorphism marker method with next-generation sequencing. Pathogen detection rates, viral and bacterial loads, age-stratified distributions, temporal trends across three epidemic phases (early, peak, late), and inter-pathogen co-occurrence networks were evaluated. Hierarchical clustering identified distinct co-infection clusters.
Results
Overall pathogen detection rate was 72.1%, with mixed infections in 57.8% of cases. Neisseria meningitidis (Nm, 36.4%) and Haemophilus influenzae (Hi, 33.1%) were most prevalent. Hi increased with age (0% to 51.2%, pConclusions
This study reveals a complex respiratory pathogen landscape in pediatric ILI, with high mixed infection rates and dynamic age- and time-dependent patterns. These findings underscore the importance of pathogen interactions and microecological contexts, providing insights for clinical diagnosis and public health strategies.