CLASSIFICATION OF PATHOGENIC AGENTS AND THEIR IMPACT ON TREATMENT OUTCOMES IN CHILDREN WITH PNEUMONIA AND RESPIRATORY FAILURE AT CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL 1
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background: Pneumonia is the leading cause of mortality in children under five years old, especially when complicated by respiratory failure. Co-infection of multiple pathogens is increasingly recognized as a critical factor that exacerbates disease severity and influences treatment outcomes. However, detecting co-infections remains challenging due to the limitations of conventional diagnostic methods. Objectives: 1. To investigate the prevalence and classification of pathogenic agents in children with pneumonia and respiratory failure using Real-time PCR. 2. To compare the clinical, laboratory characteristics, and treatment outcomes among different pathogen groups. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 78 children aged 2 months to 5 years diagnosed with pneumonia and respiratory failure, admitted to Children’s Hospital 1, from May 2023 to January 2024. Results: The detection rate of pathogenic agents using Real-time PCR was exceptionally high (97.4%). Co-infection was identified in 82.1% of cases, with viralbacterial co-infections being the most prevalent (66.7%). Children under 12 months exhibited a higher prevalence of viral-viral co-infections, whereas children aged 12 months to 5 years were more frequently affected by bacterial-bacterial co-infections. Viral-viral co-infections were associated with more severe pneumonia and respiratory failure, requiring higher oxygen therapy support, prolonged oxygen supplementation, and longer hospital stays. Conclusions: Pediatric pneumonia, particularly when associated with respiratory failure, warrants careful consideration of co-infection with multiple pathogens, with special emphasis on viral–bacterial co-infections.
Keywords
Co-infections, Severe pneumoniae, Respiratory failure, Children, Real-time PCR
Article Details
References
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