ObjectiveTo investigate the detection of respiratory tract virus from throat swabs of patients with lower respiratory tract infection(LRTI) in a hospital, so as to provide reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment. MethodsThroat swabs of hospitalized children with LRTI between May 2103 and April 2014 were detected by direct immunofluorescence assay, infection/carriage of respiratory syncytial virus(RSV), adenovirus(ADV), influenza virus A(IVA), IVB, parainfluenza virus 1(PIV1), PIV2,  and  PIV3 in children were surveyed. ResultsOf 8 425 throat swab specimens of hospitalized patients, 1 879 were detected virus, the total detection rate was 22.30%, detection rate of RSV was the highest (11.31%), followed by PIV3(4.37%). There was no significant difference in the total detection rate of respiratory tract virus between children of different genders (P=0.051). Of all age groups, detection rate of RSV  in infants and young children  was the highest, the detection rates of 7 kinds of  virus from preschool children were approximate,  detection rate of ADV from primary school children was the highest (37.50%). In spring and winter, children mainly infected with RSA, accounting for 62.82% and 69.88% respectively; in summer， PIV3 was the predominant virus, accounting for 41.47%, in autumn, there was little difference in the percentage of each virus.  ConclusionThe detection rate of 7 kinds of virus isolated from throat swabs of hospitalized children with LRTI is related to age and season;  the detection rate of 7 kinds of virus from infants and young children is high, RSA is the main virus.