A Ten-Year Retrospective Study on Patterns of Pathogens in Acute Respiratory Tract Infection at Ramathibodi Hospital, Thailand
A Ten-Year Retrospective Study of the Acute Respiratory Pathogens, Ramathibodi Hospital, Thailand
Keywords:
Acute respiratory tract infection, Respiratory pathogens, Respiratory pathogens co-infectionAbstract
Respiratory pathogens are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially among young children. This study analyzed data from Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NATs) conducted by the Virology Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Thailand, between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2021. Out of 16,976 patients, respiratory pathogens were detected in 6,619 cases (38.99%). The pathogens included bacteria, fungi, and viruses, accounting for 3.35%, 0.84%, and 95.81%, respectively. The majority of viral infections were caused by the most prevalent pathogens, including Rhinovirus/Enterovirus (37.50%), Respiratory Syncytial Virus
(12.18%), and Influenza A virus (9.08%). The highest prevalence was observed among toddlers, pre-school children, and infants (70.58%, 61.55%, and 56.42%, respectively). Females showed a significantly higher risk of infection compared to males (p = 0.009, OR = 1.1, 95% CI: 1.02–1.18). Toddlers had the highest risk (p < 0.001, OR = 5.96, 95% CI: 5.27–6.76). Infections were most common from July to September. Specifically, before the COVID-19 outbreak, the infection rate was higher than during the COVID-19 pandemic (p < 0.001, OR = 1.37, 95% CI: 1.21–1.55). Respiratory infections affected individuals across all ages and genders and were not limited to specific seasons. This study’s findings highlight the importance of developing laboratory diagnostic and patient management guidelines in line with WHO recommendations to reduce illness and mortality from respiratory infections.
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