Epidemiological Characteristics of Respiratory Tract Pathogens in
Kunming, Yunnan Province of China, before and during the COVID-19
Pandemic
Abstract
Viruses are the main pathogens responsible for acute upper respiratory
tract infections; they spread easily among infants, young children, and
the elderly population. The strong spreading capability of such viruses
poses great difficulties for clinical diagnosis, treatment, and disease
prevention and control. During the current coronavirus disease
(COVID-19) pandemic, a clear understanding of the epidemiological
characteristics of respiratory tract pathogens is essential for the
timely identification of non-COVID-19 respiratory tract infections and
enhancement of the efficiency of disease prevention and control. In this
study, a total of 2,017 patients with upper respiratory tract infections
in Kunming, Yunnan province of China, were included as subjects and
divided into the Before COVID-19 and During COVID-19 groups. Differences
in the infection rate of 13 common respiratory tract pathogens before
and during the COVID-19 pandemic were determined using PCR in
conjunction with capillary electrophoresis. Results indicated that the
infection rate of respiratory tract pathogens (prevailing pathogens and
infection status of different age groups) underwent significant changes
after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Further in-depth research is
required to improve the diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and control of
respiratory tract infections.