Changes in the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of viral gastroenteritis among hospitalized children in the Mainland of China: a retrospective study from 2016 to 2020

Fei Li; Lingyun Guo; Qi Li; Hui Xu; Yiliang Fu; Luci Huang; Guoshuang Feng; Gang Liu; Xiangpeng Chen; Zhengde Xie

doi:10.1186/s12887-024-04776-1

BMC Pediatrics (May 2024)

Changes in the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of viral gastroenteritis among hospitalized children in the Mainland of China: a retrospective study from 2016 to 2020

Fei Li,
Lingyun Guo,
Qi Li,
Hui Xu,
Yiliang Fu,
Luci Huang,
Guoshuang Feng,
Gang Liu,
Xiangpeng Chen,
Zhengde Xie

Affiliations

Fei Li: Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Infection Diseases, Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Research Unit of Critical Infection in Children, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU016, Laboratory of Infection and Virology, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health
Lingyun Guo: Department of Infectious Disease, National Center for Children’s Health, Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University
Qi Li: Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Infection Diseases, Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Research Unit of Critical Infection in Children, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU016, Laboratory of Infection and Virology, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health
Hui Xu: Big Data and Engineering Research Center, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health
Yiliang Fu: Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Infection Diseases, Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Research Unit of Critical Infection in Children, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU016, Laboratory of Infection and Virology, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health
Luci Huang: Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Infection Diseases, Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Research Unit of Critical Infection in Children, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU016, Laboratory of Infection and Virology, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health
Guoshuang Feng: Big Data and Engineering Research Center, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health
Gang Liu: Department of Infectious Disease, National Center for Children’s Health, Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University
Xiangpeng Chen: Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Infection Diseases, Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Research Unit of Critical Infection in Children, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU016, Laboratory of Infection and Virology, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health
Zhengde Xie: Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric Respiratory Infection Diseases, Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Research Unit of Critical Infection in Children, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 2019RU016, Laboratory of Infection and Virology, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-024-04776-1
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 24, no. 1
pp. 1 – 15

Abstract

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Abstract Background Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) causes significant morbidity in children worldwide; however, the disease burden of children hospitalized with viral gastroenteritis in China has been rarely described. Through this study, we analyzed the data of hospitalized children with viral gastroenteritis to explore the changes in the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of viral gastroenteritis in the mainland of China. Methods Data were extracted from Futang Children's Medical Development Research Center (FRCPD), between 2016 and 2020, across 27 hospitals in 7 regions. The demographics, geographic distribution, pathogenic examination results, complications, hospital admission date, length of hospital stays, hospitalization charges and outcomes were collected and analyzed. Results Viral etiological agents included rotavirus (RV), adenovirus (ADV), norovirus (NV) and coxsackievirus (CV) that were detected in 25,274 (89.6%), 1,047 (3.7%), 441 (1.5%) and 83 (0.3%) cases. There was a higher prevalence of RV and NV infection among children younger than 3 years of age. RV and NV had the highest detection rates in winter, while ADV in summer. Children with viral gastroenteritis were often accompanied by other diseases, such as myocardial diseases (10.98–31.04%), upper respiratory tract diseases (1.20–20.15%), and seizures (2.41–14.51%). Among those cases, the co-infection rate with other pathogens was 6.28%, with Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and influenza virus (FLU) being the most common pathogens. The median length of stay was 5 days, and the median cost of hospitalization corresponded to587 US dollars. Conclusions This finding suggests that viral gastroenteritis, especially those caused by RV, is a prevalent illness among younger children. Co-infections and the presence of other diseases are common. The seasonality and regional variation of viral etiological agents highlight the need for targeted prevention and control measures. Although viral gastroenteritis rarely leads to death, it also results in a significant economic burden on healthcare systems.

Published in BMC Pediatrics

ISSN: 1471-2431 (Online)
Publisher: BMC
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine: Pediatrics
Website: https://bmcpediatr.biomedcentral.com

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