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West Nile virus disease in children, United States, 1999-2007

Nicole P Lindsey1, Edward B Hayes, J Erin Staples

  • 1Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3150 Rampart Rd, Fort Collins, CO 80522, USA.

Pediatrics
|June 2, 2009
PubMed

Insights

West Nile virus (WNV) disease in children is rare but shares similarities with adult cases. However, WNV neuroinvasive disease (WNND) more frequently presents as meningitis in children than encephalitis in adults.

Area of Science:

  • Epidemiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • West Nile virus (WNV) disease predominantly affects adults in the US, but children are also susceptible.
  • Limited epidemiological data exists for WNV disease specifically in pediatric populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the epidemiological features of WNV disease in children.
  • To compare the clinical presentation of pediatric West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND) with that of adults.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of WNV cases in children (<18 years) reported to the CDC from 1999-2007.
  • Comparison of epidemiological and clinical features between pediatric and adult WNND cases.

Main Results:

  • Out of 1478 pediatric WNV cases, 30% were WNND, 68% were West Nile fever.
  • Children represented 4% of all WNND cases, with peak illness from July to September.
  • Pediatric WNND commonly presented as meningitis, unlike encephalitis in older adults.

Conclusions:

  • WNV disease in children exhibits similar epidemiological patterns to adults.
  • WNND is more frequently diagnosed as meningitis in children compared to older adults.
  • WNV should be considered in pediatric febrile illnesses, meningitis, encephalitis, or acute flaccid paralysis, especially during outbreaks.
Abstract

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