Clinical characteristics of Chinese children with EV‐D68‐associated pneumonia: A single‐center retrospective analysis

Abstract Background Human enterovirus D68 (EV‐D68) has been associated with an increase in mild‐to‐severe pediatric respiratory diseases in western countries. However, the prevalence and clinical characteristics of EV‐D68‐associated pneumonia in China remain understudied. Methods Between January 2022 and January 2024, 28 patients with EV‐D68‐associated pneumonia were enrolled. We described the prevalence, demographic, and clinical characteristics of patients with EV‐D68‐associated pneumonia. Results Among the 28 enrolled patients, the male‐to‐female ratio was 1.5:1, and the average age at onset was 4.6 ± 2.7 years. Four (14.3%) required intensive care support. Monoinfection occurred in 11 cases (39.3%), while coinfections were seen in 17 cases (60.7%). 82.1% of patients had a history of one or more atopic diseases. The primary symptoms of EV‐D68‐associated pneumonia included cough (100%), wheezing (53.6%), and fever (53.6%). Radiologically, patchy opacity was the predominant feature, observed in 72.7% of cases. No statistically significant differences were found in symptoms, laboratory tests, or imaging findings between the monoinfection and coinfection groups. Except for one case who developed quadriplegia sequelae, all patients had a favorable prognosis. Conclusion EV‐D68 is not a common pathogen for community‐acquired pneumonia in China. It mainly affects young children, particularly those with atopic constitution. The overall prognosis is favorable, although neurological complications are rare and may lead to severe sequelae. This study is the first investigation into the prevalence and clinical characteristics of EV‐D68‐associated pneumonia in China.