Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) pose a significant global health burden, particularly affecting infants and young children with high morbidity and mortality rates. Targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) has emerged as a rapid and cost-effective diagnostic tool capable of identifying a broad range of respiratory tract infections. Oropharyngeal swabs and sputum samples were collected from patients and subjected to tNGS and sputum culture, respectively, for diagnosing ARIs. A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data to explore the clinical diagnosis and therapeutic application of tNGS. This study included 336 pediatric patients with confirmed ARIs. tNGS detected 38 potential pathogens, comprising 25 species (15 bacteria and 10 viruses) and 13 viral subtypes. The overall microbial detection rate using tNGS was 100%. The leading bacterial pathogens identified were Streptococcus pneumoniae (36.0%), Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (30.4%), Streptococcus intermedius (29.5%), Moraxella catarrhalis (27.1%), and Hemophilus influenzae (20.2%). The predominant viral pathogens included human adenovirus (31.3%), human rhinovirus (26.5%), human parainfluenza virus (25.0%), cytomegalovirus (19.0%), and human bocavirus (11.0%). Among the 94 patients who underwent simultaneous sputum culture and Gram staining, tNGS exhibited a superior detection rate compared to sputum culture (100% vs. 53.2%). Among the 50 patients with concordant positive results for both tNGS and sputum culture, 80% (40/50) demonstrated full or partial agreement. Additionally, tNGS revealed age-specific heterogeneity in pathogen distribution across different age groups. Traditional diagnostic methods often fall short of meeting the diagnostic demands of ARIs. This study underscores the potential of tNGS in oropharyngeal swabs for enhancing pathogen detection, thereby improving the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of ARIs. This study represents the first investigation utilizing oropharyngeal swabs for tNGS in diagnosing and treating ARIs. By analyzing surveillance data from a local hospital’s patients with ARIs, we have identified the spectrum of bacterial and viral pathogens and explored demographic differences among patients. These findings underscore the potential of tNGS in ARI surveillance, diagnosis, pathogen detection, and prevention.

Background: The rise of antimicrobial resistance and the COVID-19 pandemic highlight the limitations of traditional therapies. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapeutics, which utilize RNA interference for targeted gene silencing, present a promising approach to combating microbial infections. However, research in this area remains fragmented. This study employs a comprehensive bibliometric analysis to chart research trends and inform future directions. Methods: A total of 8,426 publications from the Web of Science Core Collection (2001–2025) were analyzed using CiteSpace and VOSviewer software to examine annual publication trends, geographic and institutional contributions, author networks, journal impacts, and keyword evolution. Data extraction focused on English-language articles. Results: The publication trends for siRNA therapeutics in microbial infections have evolved in three phases: rapid growth, stabilization at a peak, and subsequent cyclical fluctuations. Research contributions spanned 99 countries and regions, with 5,564 institutions and 1,234 journals involved. China (2,849 publications) and the United States (2,820 publications) led in publication volume. While the United States maintained dominance in academic influence and collaboration, China has steadily increased its research output in this area. The Journal of Virology emerged as the leading journal in terms of both productivity and citation impact. Key research areas include delivery systems, target selection, manufacturing technologies, antiviral therapeutics, and combination therapies. The field has shifted from basic mechanistic studies to clinical applications, with future research poised to focus on organ-specific delivery beyond the liver, exploration of diverse administration routes, integration of artificial intelligence-driven strategies, and enhanced global collaboration. Conclusion: This bibliometric analysis offers a comprehensive overview of siRNA therapeutics for microbial infections, highlighting collaboration networks and academic influence across authors, countries, institutions, and journals. The study provides valuable insights into current research trends and serves as a foundational reference for guiding future collaborative efforts and innovations in this field.