Pathogen landscape and synergistic interactions in pediatric ARIs: implications for broad-spectrum surveillance via targeted NGS

Abstract

Moving beyond the outdated “one germ, one disease” model, this study characterizes the etiological and epidemiological landscape and highlights co-infection patterns of virus-bacterium or MP-bacterium in 2044 pediatric respiratory in-patient children across three epidemic phases. Specific pathogen combinations are associated with clinical severity, as well as host immune and metabolic profiles. Our findings underscore the necessity of detecting pathogen-pathogen and host-pathogen dynamics, rather than individual pathogens, thereby informing precision diagnostics and targeted intervention strategies.