Epidemiological study on the extent of pneumonia infection among children in the Holy Karbala Governorate for the year 2025

Abstract

Pneumonia is considered one of the most dangerous acute respiratory infections, as it leads to the accumulation of fluid and pus in the alveoli, which impairs gas exchange and poses a major health threat, particularly in developing countries. This study aims to analyze the epidemiological distribution of the disease by examining demographic factors such as age and sex, alongside seasonal patterns, in order to identify the populations most vulnerable to infection and the periods of peak incidence. The study included a total sample of 905 cases, with data distributed and statistically analyzed across four age groups ranging from under one year to 14 years. Comparisons were also made according to sex and monthly temporal distribution throughout the year. The results revealed that children aged 1–4 years were the most vulnerable to infection, accounting for 378 cases (42%), while the age group of 10–14 years recorded the lowest infection rate at 14%. A clear disparity was observed in favor of males, who accounted for 59.6% of total cases compared to 40.4% for females, yielding a male-to-female ratio of approximately 1.5:1. September recorded the highest peak of infections at 16.0%, followed by April at 13.5%, indicating that the disease is predominantly concentrated during seasonal transition periods. Furthermore, the results revealed a marked concentration of infections in urban areas (the city), accounting for 57.8% of cases compared to 42.2% in rural areas, with a difference of 15.6 percentage points. The study concludes that the risk of contracting pneumonia decreases progressively with age, correlating with the increasing efficiency of the immune system. The data also confirm that males consistently outnumber females in infections across all age groups and throughout all months of the year. These findings necessitate strengthening preventive and diagnostic measures, particularly during the identified seasonal peak periods.