Objective: To probe into the epidemiological characteristics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) in hospitalized children with respiratory tract infection in Suzhou

Jiangsu

and provide reference for the rational diagnosis and treatment of MP infection. Methods: Sputum specimens of 12

401 cases of hospitalized children with respiratory tract infection from 2015 to 2020 in Children’s Hospital of Soochow University were collected. MP-DNA was detected by fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Serum specific MP antibody IgM was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

and the detection of MP was analyzed. Results: Among the 12

401 hospitalized children

the detection rate of MP was 30.76% (3

814/12

401)

and the detection rate of MP in female children was higher than that in male children (2=72.585

P<0.01). The detection rates of MP were respectively 8.72%

20.89%

34.57%

48.98% and 65.21% in children <6 months

≥6 months to 1 year old

>1 to 3 years old

>3 to 7 years old

and >7 years old

MP detection rate increased with age (2=1

883.359

P<0.01). The detection rate of MP in spring

summer

autumn and winter were respectively 26.61%

32.85%

35.98% and 27.02%. The detection rate of MP in summer and autumn was higher than that in winter and spring (2=92.064

P<0.01). From 2015 to 2020

the summer of 2016 was the season with the highest detection rate of MP (52.89%)

and the winter of 2020 was the season with the lowest detection rate of MP (15.79%). The detection rate of MP in Suzhou in 2016 was 45.06%

which was the highest in the past 6 years

and the lowest in 2020 at 22.42%. Conclusion: Respiratory tract MP infection in hospitalized children in Suzhou is at a high level

and the detection rate of MP gradually increases with age. Summer and autumn are the peak seasons of MP infection. New respiratory infectious diseases may have a certain impact on the prevalence of traditional respiratory pathogens.