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Using Bioluminescent Imaging to Investigate Synergism Between Streptococcus pneumoniae and Influenza A Virus in Infant Mice
10:47

Using Bioluminescent Imaging to Investigate Synergism Between Streptococcus pneumoniae and Influenza A Virus in Infant Mice

Published on: April 14, 2011

[Influenza virus infections in infants aged less than two years old]

C Calvo Rey1, M L García García, I Casas Flecha

  • 1Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital Severo Ochoa, Leganés, Madrid, Spain. ccalvo@mi.madritel.es

Anales De Pediatria (Barcelona, Spain : 2003)
|July 2, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Influenza is a significant cause of respiratory illness in infants, often leading to hospitalization. This study highlights its clinical features and differentiates it from Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infections in young children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Virology
  • Public Health

Context:

  • Influenza is a common cause of infant respiratory illness, frequently underestimated due to non-specific symptoms.
  • Hospitalized infants with respiratory tract infections represent a significant burden of disease.

Purpose:

  • To describe confirmed influenza infections in infants under 2 years old.
  • To compare influenza infections with Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infections in the same pediatric population.

Summary:

  • A prospective study analyzed 100 hospitalized infants with influenza, identifying it as the cause for 4.1% of admissions for fever or respiratory tract infection.
  • Influenza A was the predominant subtype (83%). Common diagnoses included bronchiolitis (38%), recurrent wheezing (25%), and pneumonia (9%).
  • Influenza presented with more frequent fever and radiologic infiltrates compared to RSV, while bronchiolitis was more common in RSV cases. Infants under 6 months showed milder symptoms.

Impact:

  • Influenza is a major cause of respiratory disease in hospitalized infants, contributing to bronchiolitis and recurrent wheezing.
  • Understanding influenza's clinical presentation and differentiating it from RSV is crucial for accurate diagnosis and management in infants.
  • The findings underscore the importance of considering influenza in the differential diagnosis of respiratory infections in young children.
Abstract

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