Detection of pathogens and epidemiological characteristics of community-acquired pneumonia in children using metagenomic next-generation sequencing.

Publisher: Open Learning on Enteric Pathogens Country of Publication: Italy NLM ID: 101305410 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1972-2680 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 19722680 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Infect Dev Ctries Subsets: MEDLINE

Original Publication: [Italy?] : Open Learning on Enteric Pathogens

Community-Acquired Infections*/epidemiology ; Community-Acquired Infections*/microbiology ; Community-Acquired Infections*/virology ; Metagenomics*/methods ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing*/methods ; Pneumonia*/epidemiology ; Pneumonia*/microbiology ; Bacteria*/isolation & purification ; Bacteria*/classification ; Bacteria*/genetics; Humans ; Child, Preschool ; Infant ; Child ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Female ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/microbiology ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/virology ; Infant, Newborn ; Seasons ; Adolescent ; Sputum/microbiology ; Sputum/virology ; Fungi/isolation & purification ; Fungi/genetics ; Fungi/classification ; Community-Acquired Pneumonia

Competing Interests: No Conflict of Interest is declared
Introduction: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common respiratory disease in children and a significant factor in child mortality.
Methodology: We aimed to investigate metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) technology to explore pathogens and epidemiological characteristics of pediatric CAP. We retrospectively analyzed mNGS detection and microbiological culture results of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and sputum samples from children with CAP.
Results: Mycoplasma pneumoniae was the predominant pathogen. Bacteria/fungi detection rates using mNGS in sputum and BALF were higher than those using microbiological culture (p < 0.05). Cytomegalovirus was the predominant pathogen in children aged 0-1; Mycoplasma pneumoniae was the predominant pathogen in those over 1. Haemophilus influenzae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, human bocavirus 1, and Streptococcus pneumoniae were the predominant pathogens in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, respectively.
Conclusions: mNGS is superior to traditional microbiological culture for pediatric CAP potential pathogen detection. CAP pathogenic infection characteristics at different ages and seasons detected by mNGS will benefit clinical practitioners in the prevention and treatment of pediatric CAP in their local/regional areas.
(Copyright (c) 2025 ShiQu Deng, YaLi Wu, PeiYun Hu, JianLiang Lin, Jingming Yao, Bin Wang.)

Keywords: CAP; Community-acquired pneumonia; children; mNGS; metagenomic next-generation sequencing; pathogen

Date Created: 20250908 Date Completed: 20250908 Latest Revision: 20250908

20250909

10.3855/jidc.20668

40920725