{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,1]],"date-time":"2026-05-01T12:07:25Z","timestamp":1777637245212,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,29]],"date-time":"2026-04-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1777420800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study aimed to analyze the epidemiological patterns of respiratory infectious diseases in Xiamen, Fujian Province, over the year following the relaxation of China\u2019s COVID-19 control measures.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      We conducted a comprehensive statistical analysis of testing data for the six prevalent respiratory pathogens, utilizing throat swab antigen tests, PCR assays, and serological IgM testing. For\n                      <jats:italic>Mycoplasma pneumoniae<\/jats:italic>\n                      , diagnosis relied on serological IgM or rapid PCR testing, with PCR results prioritized when both methods were applied. Influenza A\/B viruses were identified through throat swab antigen or PCR testing, again favoring PCR outcomes. Respiratory syncytial virus, rhinovirus, and adenovirus were exclusively detected via PCR.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Influenza A virus emerged as the most prevalent pathogen (32.5%), followed by\n                      <jats:italic>Mycoplasma pneumoniae<\/jats:italic>\n                      (18.0%). Seasonal trends varied: influenza A peaked in spring, while\n                      <jats:italic>M. pneumoniae<\/jats:italic>\n                      surged in autumn and winter. Age-wise, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human rhinovirus predominate in the 0\u20134 age group; other respiratory viruses predominate in the 5\u201314 age group; though influenza A and B viruses show relatively high positivity rates in the 15\u201344 age group. Notably, significant gender disparities were observed across several pathogens (\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      &amp;lt;\u202f0.05).\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study provides a detailed epidemiological snapshot of post-pandemic respiratory pathogens in Xiamen, highlighting distinct age-specific vulnerabilities and seasonal patterns. These findings offer practical guidance for developing targeted, stage-specific intervention strategies to mitigate disease burden in the post-pandemic era.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1759146","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,29]],"date-time":"2026-04-29T06:05:43Z","timestamp":1777442743000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Epidemiology of respiratory infectious diseases after the relaxation of COVID-19 policies: a retrospective study in Xiamen, China"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Linlin","family":"Qu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xiang\u2019an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University","place":["Xiamen, Fujian, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Xiaojun","family":"Jing","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Equipment and Materials, Xiang\u2019an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University","place":["Xiamen, Fujian, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ruopei","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine, Xiamen University","place":["Xiamen, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kai","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Xiang\u2019an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University","place":["Xiamen, Fujian, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Meiying","family":"Su","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xiang\u2019an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University","place":["Xiamen, Fujian, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Lanlan","family":"Lian","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xiang\u2019an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University","place":["Xiamen, Fujian, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Chunhua","family":"Yang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xiang\u2019an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University","place":["Xiamen, Fujian, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Houzhao","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xiang\u2019an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University","place":["Xiamen, Fujian, 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