Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of influenza A/B viruses in influenza-like cases in children in a hospital in Chongqing during autumn and winter

and to provide a basis for the development of future influenza prevention programs. Methods A total 3 233 influenza-like cases in children attending a hospital in Chongqing from November 2019 to January 2020 were selected as study subjects

and nasal or throat swab specimens were collected and tested by applying influenza A/B virus antigen detection kit（colloidal gold method）. Results A total of 1 007（31.15%） influenza virus positive specimens were detected in the specimens sent to the study subjects

including 536（16.58%） influenza A virus positive specimens

471（14.57%） influenza B virus positive specimens

and 6（0.19%） specimens positive for both. The differences in the positive detection rates of influenza A/B viruses in the study subjects by gender were not statistically significant（P>0.05）. The differences in the positive detection rates of influenza A/B viruses among study subjects in different age groups were statistically significant（P<0.05）

with the highest positive detection rate of 20.93% for influenza A viruses in the 8-< 10-year-old group and 20.43% for influenza B viruses in the 10-< 13-year-old group. The differences were statistically significant（P<0.05） when comparing the positive detection rates of influenza A/B viruses in study subjects with onset in different months

with the lowest positive detection rate of 8.24% for influenza A viruses in study subjects with onset in January 2020 and the lowest positive detection rate of 8.04% for influenza B viruses in study subjects with onset in November 2019. The positive detection rate of influenza A virus was 16.53% in study subjects diagnosed with upper respiratory tract infection

which was higher than that of 11.54% in study subjects diagnosed with lower respiratory tract infection（P<0.05）

while the positive detection rate of influenza B virus was 14.55% in study subjects diagnosed with upper respiratory tract infection

again higher than that of 8.97% in study subjects diagnosed with lower respiratory tract infection（P<0.05）. Conclusion Influenza caused by influenza A/B viruses is highly prevalent in autumn and winter

and attention should be paid to the epidemiological characteristics of influenza in children

to strengthen the surveillance of influenza viruses

and to improve prevention and control according to epidemiological characteristics.