LRIs Are Major Cause of Global Mortality in Children

Background: Lower respiratory infections (LRIs) are the leading infectious cause of death worldwide, contributing significantly to global mortality and disability. These infections particularly affect children aged Objective: To assess progress toward the 2025 Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Pneumonia and Diarrhoea (GAPPD) target for pneumonia mortality in children aged Design: Systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease 2023 study. Methods: The study estimated LRI mortality, incidence, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) across 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2023. Mortality was estimated using the Cause of Death Ensemble model, incorporating data from vital registration, surveillance, and tissue sampling. Morbidity was modeled using a Bayesian meta-regression tool. The analysis attributed LRI burden to 26 pathogens, including 11 newly modeled categories such as Aspergillus spp and nontuberculous mycobacteria. Results: In 2023, LRIs c more...