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The underrecognized burden of influenza in young children
Katherine A Poehling1, Kathryn M Edwards, Geoffrey A Weinberg
1Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, USA.
Insights
Influenza causes many more outpatient visits than hospitalizations in young children. Clinical recognition of influenza infection is often missed by physicians in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health Surveillance
Background:
- The disease burden of influenza in children is not well-established.
- Population-based surveillance of medical visits for laboratory-confirmed influenza was conducted.
- Focus on children younger than five years with acute respiratory tract infections or fever.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence of medical visits associated with influenza in young children.
- To estimate the burden of influenza-related hospitalizations and outpatient visits.
- To assess the clinical recognition of influenza by healthcare providers.
Main Methods:
- Prospective enrollment of hospitalized children (2000-2004).
- Systematic enrollment of children in clinics and emergency departments during two influenza seasons (2002-2004).
- Laboratory confirmation of influenza using viral culture and PCR; data collection via surveys and chart reviews.
Main Results:
- Average annual hospitalization rate for influenza was 0.9 per 1000 children.
- Estimated outpatient visits: 50-95 clinic visits and 6-27 emergency department visits per 1000 children annually.
- Low rates of influenza diagnosis by physicians: 28% inpatient, 17% outpatient.
Conclusions:
- Outpatient visits for influenza are 10-250 times more common than hospitalizations in young children.
- Clinical diagnosis of influenza is frequently missed in pediatric settings.
- Highlights the significant, often underrecognized, burden of influenza in young children.
Background:
The disease burden of influenza infection among children is not well established. We conducted a population-based surveillance of medical visits associated with laboratory-confirmed influenza.
Methods:
Eligible children were younger than five years of age, resided in three U.S. counties, and had a medical visit for an acute respiratory tract infection or fever. Nasal and throat swabs were tested for the influenza virus by viral culture and polymerase-chain-reaction assay. Epidemiologic data were collected from parental surveys and chart reviews. Children who were hospitalized were enrolled prospectively from 2000 through 2004. Population-based rates of hospitalizations associated with influenza were calculated. Children who were seen in selected pediatric clinics and emergency departments during two influenza seasons (2002-2003 and 2003-2004) were systematically enrolled. The rates of visits to clinics and emergency departments associated with influenza were estimated.
Results:
The average annual rate of hospitalization associated with influenza was 0.9 per 1000 children. The estimated burden of outpatient visits associated with influenza was 50 clinic visits and 6 emergency department visits per 1000 children during the 2002-2003 season and 95 clinic visits and 27 emergency department visits per 1000 children during the 2003-2004 season. Few children who had laboratory-confirmed influenza were given a diagnosis of influenza by the treating physician in the inpatient (28 percent) or outpatient (17 percent) settings.
Conclusions:
Among young children, outpatient visits associated with influenza were 10 to 250 times as common as hospitalizations. Few influenza infections were recognized clinically.
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