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Rapid Molecular Detection and Differentiation of Influenza Viruses A and B
Published on: January 30, 2017
Clinical presentation of influenza in unselected children treated as outpatients
Heli Silvennoinen1, Ville Peltola, Pasi Lehtinen
1Department of Pediatrics, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
Insights
High fever and rhinitis are common signs of influenza in children. However, headache and muscle aches are less common, particularly in younger children, complicating early diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Virology
Background:
- Influenza significantly impacts children's health, particularly in outpatient settings.
- Published data on influenza signs and symptoms in unselected pediatric outpatients is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the clinical presentation of influenza in children treated as outpatients.
- To identify key signs and symptoms associated with pediatric influenza.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of respiratory infections in children aged 13 years or younger.
- Virological confirmation of influenza via nasal swabs during illness episodes.
- Analysis of clinical data from 353 children with confirmed influenza.
Main Results:
- 95% of children with confirmed influenza had fever, with 50% exhibiting temperatures >=39.0°C.
- Cough (77%) and rhinitis (78%) were prevalent symptoms.
- Headache (39%) and myalgia (13%) were less common in older children (7-13 years).
Conclusions:
- High fever is a hallmark of pediatric influenza.
- Influenza severity is greatest in children under 3 years old.
- Rhinitis in the early stages and the low incidence of headache/myalgia can hinder clinical diagnosis, especially in young children.
Background:
Influenza causes a great disease burden on children especially in the outpatient setting. The signs and symptoms of influenza in unselected children treated as outpatients have not been previously published.
Methods:
We assessed the clinical presentation of influenza in a prospective study of respiratory infections in preenrolled cohorts of children < or =13 years of age during 2 consecutive respiratory seasons (2231 child-seasons of follow-up). We examined the children and obtained a nasal swab for the detection of influenza during every episode of illness, regardless of the presence or absence of fever or the severity of the symptoms.
Results:
Influenza was virologically confirmed in 372 children, of whom 353 (95%) providing complete data on the signs and symptoms were included in the analyses. A total of 95% of these children were febrile, and 50% had fever > or =39.0 degrees C. Among children <3 years of age, 20% had fever > or =40.0 degrees C. Seventy-seven percent of the children had cough and 78% had rhinitis. In children 7 to 13 years of age, only 39% had headache and 13% had myalgia.
Conclusions:
High fever is a prominent sign of influenza in children, and the clinical presentation of influenza is most severe in children <3 years of age. Headache and myalgia are not typical features of influenza in outpatient children. Most children with influenza have rhinitis during the early phase of the illness, which makes the clinical diagnosis of influenza difficult especially in the youngest children.
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