Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Children in Hangzhou (2022-2023).

Publication date: Jun 19, 2025

Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is a highly contagious RNA virus that causes respiratory infections, especially in children. This study evaluated the impact of COVID-19 control measure changes on HRSV infection patterns in Hangzhou by comparing epidemiological and clinical characteristics. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 12,993 pediatric nasopharyngeal swab samples from children with acute respiratory infections at The Children’s Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine. These samples, collected between February 2022 and January 2024, were screened for HRSV and 12 other respiratory pathogens using capillary electrophoresis technology. From February 2022 to January 2023, the HRSV positivity rate was 7. 06%. In 2023, it increased to 9. 26%. The highest positivity rates were in infants aged 0-6 months and children aged 6 months to 1 year. Coinfections were most common with rhinovirus in 2022 and Mycoplasma pneumoniae in 2023. HRSV positivity rates were low from April to September 2022, peaking in December. In 2023, the peak occurred from April to September. Symptoms ranged from mild to severe pneumonia, with higher hospitalization rates in children with underlying conditions. The study revealed significant changes in HRSV infection rates following pandemic restriction relaxations, emphasizing the need for the early identification and prevention of severe cases.

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Concepts Keywords
February Child
Infants Child, Preschool
Pneumonia children
Rhinovirus China
Coinfection
COVID-19
epidemiology
Female
Hospitalization
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
infection
Male
Nasopharynx
Pneumonia, Mycoplasma
respiratory syncytial virus
Respiratory Tract Infections
Retrospective Studies
SARS-CoV-2
Seasons

Semantics

Type Source Name
disease MESH Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection
disease MESH causes
disease MESH respiratory infections
disease MESH COVID-19
disease MESH infection
disease MESH Coinfections
disease MESH pneumonia
drug DRUGBANK Guanosine
drug DRUGBANK (S)-Des-Me-Ampa
drug DRUGBANK Coenzyme M
disease IDO pathogen
disease MESH asthma
pathway KEGG Asthma
disease MESH death
drug DRUGBANK Medical air
disease MESH atelectasis
disease MESH influenza
disease IDO susceptibility
disease MESH morbidity
disease IDO symptom
disease MESH sore throat
disease IDO assay
disease IDO nucleic acid
disease MESH parainfluenza
disease MESH respiratory failure
disease MESH complications
disease MESH clinical progression
disease IDO infectious agent
disease IDO host
disease MESH hepatitis
disease MESH hypoxemia
drug DRUGBANK Etoperidone
pathway REACTOME Interferon Signaling
disease MESH Allergy
disease MESH Piedra
disease MESH virus infections
disease MESH bronchiolitis
disease MESH Pneumonia Mycoplasma

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