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Background <p>Enteroviruses (EVs) are important pathogens that cause neurological and systemic infections in children. Currently, only hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is monitored in China, indicating a lack of systematic surveillance for other EV-related diseases. Additionally, long-term epidemiological data on pediatric EV infections in Beijing are scarce. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of children with EV infection in Beijing over a ten-year period.</p> Methods <p>In this retrospective study, all hospitalized patients who underwent EV RNA detection using a fluorescence‑based real‑time PCR assay between July 2016 and July 2025 were included. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory information was retrieved from the hospital’s electronic medical record system.</p> Results <p>A total of 8,426 patients was included in this study, and 236 cases (2.80%) tested positive for EVs. Notably, males exhibited a higher detection rate (3.14%, 160/4,940) than females (2.18%, 76/3,486). Moreover, children aged 3 to &lt; 6 months (5.26%, 13/247) and those aged 3 to &lt; 7 years (4.51%, 56/1243) had higher detection rates than other age groups. In terms of seasonal patterns, EV infections demonstrated distinct peak in summer and autumn. Among the 205 patients whose clinical information was complete, viral encephalitis (VE) was identified as the most predominant disease (55.12%, 113/205), particularly among children aged 3 to &lt; 6 years (39.82%, 45/113) and those aged 28 days to &lt; 3 months (10.62%, 12/113). This was followed by myocardial injury/myocarditis (23.41%, 48/205), pneumonia (22.93%, 47/205), hepatic dysfunction (14.63%, 30/205), multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) (8.78%, 18/205), HFMD (7.80%, 16/205), herpangina (3.90%, 8/205), and arrhythmia (3.41%, 7/205). In this study, 98.05% of the patients had a favorable prognosis, with a mortality rate of 1.95% (4/204).</p> Conclusions <p>Diseases related to EV infection are among the important reasons for hospitalization in children, among which the top three diseases are encephalitis/meningitis, myocarditis/myocardial damage, and pneumonia. EV infection mainly affects infants and young children under 7 years of age, with the peak incidence in summer and autumn seasons.</p> Clinical trial number <p>Not applicable.</p>

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Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of hospitalized children with enterovirus infection: a retrospective study from 2016 to 2025 at Beijing children’s hospital

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月7日

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  • Fei Li,
  • Yong Sun,
  • Luci Huang,
  • Ruiting Yang,
  • Jianing Yao,
  • Yue Cui,
  • Qiuping Li,
  • Xiangpeng Chen,
  • Zhengde Xie

摘要

Background

Enteroviruses (EVs) are important pathogens that cause neurological and systemic infections in children. Currently, only hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is monitored in China, indicating a lack of systematic surveillance for other EV-related diseases. Additionally, long-term epidemiological data on pediatric EV infections in Beijing are scarce. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of children with EV infection in Beijing over a ten-year period.

Methods

In this retrospective study, all hospitalized patients who underwent EV RNA detection using a fluorescence‑based real‑time PCR assay between July 2016 and July 2025 were included. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory information was retrieved from the hospital’s electronic medical record system.

Results

A total of 8,426 patients was included in this study, and 236 cases (2.80%) tested positive for EVs. Notably, males exhibited a higher detection rate (3.14%, 160/4,940) than females (2.18%, 76/3,486). Moreover, children aged 3 to < 6 months (5.26%, 13/247) and those aged 3 to < 7 years (4.51%, 56/1243) had higher detection rates than other age groups. In terms of seasonal patterns, EV infections demonstrated distinct peak in summer and autumn. Among the 205 patients whose clinical information was complete, viral encephalitis (VE) was identified as the most predominant disease (55.12%, 113/205), particularly among children aged 3 to < 6 years (39.82%, 45/113) and those aged 28 days to < 3 months (10.62%, 12/113). This was followed by myocardial injury/myocarditis (23.41%, 48/205), pneumonia (22.93%, 47/205), hepatic dysfunction (14.63%, 30/205), multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) (8.78%, 18/205), HFMD (7.80%, 16/205), herpangina (3.90%, 8/205), and arrhythmia (3.41%, 7/205). In this study, 98.05% of the patients had a favorable prognosis, with a mortality rate of 1.95% (4/204).

Conclusions

Diseases related to EV infection are among the important reasons for hospitalization in children, among which the top three diseases are encephalitis/meningitis, myocarditis/myocardial damage, and pneumonia. EV infection mainly affects infants and young children under 7 years of age, with the peak incidence in summer and autumn seasons.

Clinical trial number

Not applicable.