Abstract: OBJECTIVE To explore the epidemiological characteristics of the pathogens causing respiratory tract infections so as to provide evidence for clinical diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control of the infections. METHODS The sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid specimens were collected from the patients with respiratory tract infections who were treated in Shengli Oilfield Central Hospital from Jan. 2023 to Dec. 2025. The nucleic acids of the respiratory tract pathogens were tested by targeted high-throughput next generation sequencing (tNGS) technique. The chromatographic analysis was performed based on the age and years. RESULTS Among 5 518 patients with resqiratory trac infections, the isolation rate of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was highest (38.71%), followed by Candida albicans (27.17%). The bacteria were dominated by Klebsiella pneumoniae (21.60%). The atypical pathogen were dominated by Mycoplasma pneumoniae (5.49%). The isolation rates of K. pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, human herpesvirus 1, SARS-CoV-2, influenza A virus, C. albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus increased significantly with the age (P<0.001), whereas the isolation rates of Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, M. pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae decreased significantly with the age (P<0.001). The rhinovirus and respiratory syncytial virus were more prevalent among the children. The prevalence rates of Staphylococcus aureus and human adenovirus peaked among the young adults. There were significant differences in the isolation rates of multiple pathogens from 2023 to 2025 (P<0.05). The isolation rates of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, rhinovirus and Pneumocystis jirovecii showed significant monotonic upward trends (P<0.001), whereas the isolation rates of C. albicans and A. fumigatus exhibited significant monotonic downward trends with the years (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS The viruses are dominant among the pathogens causing respiratory tract infections in this area, and the isolation rate of human herpesvirus 4(EBV) is high. The children are susceptible to H. influenzae and M. pneumoniae, while the elderly population is at higher risk of fungal and latent viral infections. The expanding prevalence of P. jirovecii calls for heightened clinical vigilance.