A surge of respiratory viruses and Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections among children has occurred after the relaxation of China’s zero-COVID policies, indicating potential shifts in epidemiological patterns.
The study highlights the resurgence of nine common respiratory viruses and Mycoplasma pneumoniae among children after the end of the zero-COVID policy. The detection rates of respiratory pathogens increased significantly, with Mycoplasma pneumoniae becoming the dominant cause of infections.
Conducted by researchers from the Children’s Hospital of Fudan University with contributions from the authors of the article, the study gathered data from January 2022 to December 2023, comparing the years 2022 (during zero-COVID) and 2023 (post-zero-COVID).
The research was conducted at the Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China. It aimed to analyze the impact of ending the zero-COVID policy on the circulation of respiratory pathogens, especially following concerns about increased respiratory infections upon reopening.
The presence of respiratory pathogens was tested using multiplex PCR-based assays on respiratory specimens collected from children hospitalized with acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs). The study found there was noticed a notable increase in mixed infections among hospitalized children, with Mycoplasma pneumoniae rising rapidly, and out-of-season epidemics observed for respiratory syncytial virus.
One contributor stated, "Our finding highlights the need for public health interventions to prepare for the respiratory pathogen outbreaks in the post-COVID-19 era." This reflects broader concerns as China is now facing multiple respiratory pathogen epidemics with changing seasonality, altered age distribution, and increasing mixed infection rates among children in 2023.
Given the palpable upsurge of respiratory infections among children following the end of stringent COVID-19 policies, health officials are urged to refocus their strategies to mitigate the aftermath. The findings point to the necessity of improved public health preparedness, especially as children are now experiencing respiratory pathogens differently after prolonged exposure limitations under the zero-COVID policy.