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Burden of influenza in healthy children and their households
N Principi1, S Esposito, R Gasparini
1Institute of Paediatrics, University of Milan, Milan, Italy. Nicola.Principi@unimi.it
Insights
Laboratory-confirmed influenza significantly impacts healthy children and their families, causing prolonged illness and increased healthcare use. Prevention efforts should target all children due to their role in spreading the virus.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Influenza poses a significant burden on pediatric populations.
- Understanding the impact on healthy children and their families is crucial for public health strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical and socioeconomic burden of laboratory-confirmed influenza in healthy children.
- To assess the impact on household contacts of infected children.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, multicentre study involving 3771 children under 14 with respiratory tract infections.
- Enrollment in emergency departments and primary care pediatric clinics in Italy.
- Nasopharyngeal swabs for influenza virus detection and data collection on illness and healthcare utilization.
Main Results:
- Influenza was confirmed in 9.3% of children.
- Influenza-positive children experienced longer fever, more school absence, and higher antipyretic use.
- Household contacts of influenza-positive children had increased respiratory illnesses, medical visits, and missed work/school days.
Conclusions:
- Influenza has a substantial clinical and socioeconomic impact on healthy children and their families.
- Prevention strategies should include healthy children of all ages due to their role in transmission.
Objective:
A prospective, multicentre study was conducted to evaluate the burden of laboratory confirmed influenza in healthy children and their household contacts.
Methods:
The patients were enrolled in four emergency departments (EDs) and by five primary care paediatricians (PCPs) in different Italian municipalities 2 days a week between November 1, 2001 and April 30, 2002. The study involved 3771 children less than 14 years of age with no chronic medical conditions who presented with a respiratory tract infection in EDs or PCP outpatient clinics during the study period. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected for the isolation of influenza viruses and RNA detection. Information was also collected concerning respiratory illnesses and related morbidities among the study children and their household contacts.
Results:
Influenza virus was demonstrated in 352 cases (9.3%). In comparison with the influenza negative children, those who were influenza positive had an older mean age, were more often attending day care centres or schools, more frequently experienced fever and croup, received more antipyretics, and had a longer duration of fever and school absence. Furthermore, their parents and siblings had more respiratory illnesses, received more antipyretics and antibiotics, needed more medical visits, missed more work or school days, and needed help at home to care for the ill children for a longer period of time.
Conclusions:
Influenza has a significant clinical and socioeconomic impact on healthy children and their families. Prevention strategies should also focus on healthy children regardless of their age because of their role in disease transmission.
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