Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39875866›Full record

ArticleBMC pediatrics2025

Comparison of the epidemiological characteristics of mycoplasma pneumoniae infections among children during two epidemics in Wuhan from 2018 to 2024.

Jieyu Mao, Zhili Niu, Mengling Liu, Liangyu Li, Haiyue Zhang, Ruiyun Li, Pingan Zhang, Xiaojun Wu

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in BMC pediatrics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

11 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Article
  7. Exploring Clinical Characteristics and Risk Factors ofJournal of inflammation research · 2026
    Article
  8. Article
  9. Frontiers in pediatrics · 2026
    Article
  10. Article
  11. Positive rates ofFrontiers in microbiology · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Jieyu Mao *Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Zhili Niu *Department of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Translational Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Mengling LiuDepartment of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Liangyu LiDepartment of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Haiyue ZhangDepartment of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Ruiyun LiDepartment of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Pingan ZhangDepartment of Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Translational Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China. zhangpingan927@163.com.
Xiaojun WuDepartment of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University Wuhan, Hubei, China. wuxiaojunrmyy@126.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMycoplasma pneumoniae (M pneumoniae, MP) is a common pathogen causing respiratory tract infections, particularly in children. In 2023, a resurgence of MP epidemics was observed in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. This study aims to examine the epidemiological trends and clinical characteristics of MP infections among children in Wuhan from 2018 to 2024, providing valuable scientific evidence to guide local prevention strategies.

methodsFrom January 1, 2018, to June 30, 2024, samples were collected from children under 14 years with Acute Respiratory Tract Infections (ARTI) at Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University. MP infections were diagnosed through MP-IgM antibody detection and MP-DNA detection. Results were analyzed and compared across distinct epidemic periods.

resultsOf the 183 626 ARTI children, 57 393 (31.26%) tested positive for MP, with an average age of 4.87 ± 2.99 years and a male-to-female ratio of 1.12:1. The annual positive rates from 2018 to 2024 were 45.92%, 32.23%, 22.84%, 16.22%, 16.26%, and 42.93%, respectively. Across the study period, the highest positive rate was recored in autumn (35.13%, P < 0.05). Two distinct MP outbreaks were identified, in 2018-2019 and 2023. Significant differences were observed between the two outbreaks. The 2018-2019 epidemic peaked in summer, while the 2023 epidemic peaked in November and persisted into February 2024. By age, the 2018-2019 outbreaks predominantly affected pre-school children, whereas the 2023 outbreaks mainly involved school-aged children. In boths outbreaks, girls had higher positive rates. Antibody and DNA testing results followed similar trends.

conclusionThis study highlights the epidemiological trends and clinical characteristics of MP infections in Wuhan from 2018 to 2024, including two distinct outbreaks with differing seasonal patterns. The MP strain in 2023 appeared to predominantly affect older children.The trends observed suggest that MP infections may persist into the winter of 2024. Enhanced surveillance of respiratory pathogens and early diagnosis and prevention of MP infections in children remain critical in this region.

Indexed as

EpidemicsMycoplasma pneumoniaePneumonia, MycoplasmaAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolChinaFemaleHumansInfantMaleSeasonsAcute respiratory tract infectionChildrenEpidemiologyMycoplasma pneumoniae

Identifiers

PMID39875866
PMCPMC11773782

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.