The epidemiology and disease burden of enterovirus infections among hospitalized children in China: An 8-year national cross-sectional study

Enterovirus (EV) infections represent a significant global and national health concern in children, leading to various complications. Although most children with EV infections generally have a favorable prognosis, a small proportion may still develop severe complications. This study aimed to analyze the epidemiological characteristics, disease spectrum, and disease burden of EV infections in China. A total of 163,714 hospitalized children with EV infections from 37 member hospitals of the Futang Research Center of Pediatric Development were identified between Jan 1st, 2016 and Dec 31st, 2023, accounting for 1.49% of all pediatric hospitalizations. Most cases occurred in infants aged 28 days to ≤1 year (42.29%) and toddlers aged 1 to ≤3 years (39.93%), with a male predominance (male-to-female ratio, 1.62:1). Severe cases of EV infections can be life-threatening and increase the burden of disease. The median LOS for EV infections were 5 days, with an average hospitalization cost of $587.37. EV infections can affect multiple organs, including the heart, brain, and respiratory system and were associated with severe complications, including myocarditis, encephalitis, and meningitis. These findings underscore the substantial disease burden of EV infections and highlight the need for targeted prevention strategies in young children.