Abstract: OBJECTIVE To investigate the prevalence of pathogens causing acute respiratory tract infections among hospitalized children. METHODS The results of etiological tests for 6 types of respiratory tract pathogens influenza A virus (FluA), influenza B virus (FluB), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenovirus (ADV), human rhinovirus (HRV) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) in throat swab specimens were collected from 3 204 children who were treated in pediatrics department of a hospital from Mar. 2023 to Feb. 2025; the epidemiological characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS Totally 1 876 children were tested positive for the specimens among the 3 204 children, with the positive rate 58.55%(1876/3204); the detection rate of MP was highest, followed by HRV. The detection rate of single pathogen was 52.25%(1674/3204), the detection rate of mixed pathogens was 6.30%(202/3204), and the detection rate of HRV+MP was highest. There were no significant differences in the detection rate of mixed respirator tract pathogens, single pathogen and total detection rate of pathogens between the genders. The total detection rate of pathogens, detection rate of single pathogen except for FluA and detection rate of mixed pathogens varied among the age groups (all P＜0.05). The detection rates of FluB, ADV and MP were highest in the school age group, the detection rate of RSV was highest in the infant group, and the detection rate of HRV was highest in the preschool group. There were significant differences in the total detection rate of pathogens, detection rate of single pathogen and detection rate of mixed pathogens among the seasons (all P＜0.05). The detection rate of RSV was highest in the spring group, the detection rate of MP was highest in the summer group, the detection rate of HRV was highest in the autumn group, and the detection rates of FluA, FluB and ADV were highest in the winter group. CONCLUSIONS The six types of pathogens causing respiratory tract infections in the children show certain epidemiological characteristics. The detection rate is high in the school age group. They are highly prevalent in winter and spring. MP and HRV are the predominant pathogens causing the acute respiratory tract infections in the children.