Detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 5,021 hospitalized pediatric patients presenting with acute respiratory tract infections utilizing targeted next-generation sequencing.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the infection status and clinical manifestations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.a.) in hospitalized children with respiratory tract infections.

METHODS

Between April 2021 and November 2023, a total of 5,021 hospitalized children with acute respiratory tract infections were collected at the Guangxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital. tNGS was used to detect pathogens in their respiratory samples.

RESULTS

Among the 5,021 hospitalized children with acute respiratory tract infections, P.a. was detected in 113 cases, with a detection rate of 2.25 %. The infected children were mainly infants under 1 year old, and males were predominant. Among the 113 P.a. positive cases, there was 1 case of single P.a. infection and 112 cases of co-infection with other pathogens. In infection patterns, the P.a.-bacteria-virus co-infection is relatively common. A total of 53 different pathogens were identified in children with mixed P. aeruginosa infections, with Human Herpesvirus 5 (observed in 40 cases) being the most prevalent, followed by Acinetobacter baumannii (39 cases) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (24 cases). Among children with P. aeruginosa infection, the most common respiratory complications included sinusitis, respiratory failure, and pulmonary consolidation. In contrast, the most frequent complications affecting other systems were electrolyte disturbances, gastrointestinal dysfunction, anemia, and myocardial damage. The median duration of hospitalization for the 113 children was 8 days. Out of 113 children with P.a. infection, 55 cases (48.67 %) required respiratory support and 18 cases (15.93 %) required intensive care unit (ICU) admission.

CONCLUSION

The detection rate of P.a. in hospitalized children with respiratory tract infections was 2.25 %. Almost all hospitalized children with P.a. respiratory tract infections had co-infections with other pathogens. The median duration of hospitalization was 8 days. 15.93 % of hospitalized children with P.a. infection required intensive care.