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Influenza virus infection in infants less than three months of age

Jeffrey M Bender1, Krow Ampofo, Per Gesteland

  • 1University of Utah School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, PO Box 581289, Salt Lake City, UT, USA. Jeffrey.Bender@hsc.utah.edu

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
|November 17, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Infants under 3 months with influenza often present with fever. While hospitalized more frequently, their stays are short with good outcomes and a low risk of serious bacterial infection (SBI).

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Virology

Background:

  • Influenza virus infection in infants presents unique challenges due to their immature immune systems.
  • Understanding the clinical course and potential complications of influenza in young infants is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the clinical presentation, hospitalization outcomes, and risk of serious bacterial infection (SBI) in infants younger than 3 months diagnosed with influenza.
  • To compare these findings with older infant and child populations.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of medical records for 833 children under 24 months with laboratory-confirmed influenza infection.
  • Comparison of infants <3 months old with those aged 3 to <24 months regarding demographics, hospitalization, and SBI.
  • Data collected over four winter seasons (2004-2008) at a tertiary care children's hospital.

Main Results:

  • Of 833 children, 218 were infants <3 months old. Influenza accounted for 12% of febrile infant encounters during winter.
  • Infants <3 months were more likely to be hospitalized than older children (P < 0.005), but had shorter hospital stays.
  • The incidence of SBI in infants <3 months with influenza was low (2.3%).

Conclusions:

  • Infants <3 months with influenza commonly present with fever as the sole symptom.
  • Hospitalization is more frequent in this age group, but outcomes are generally favorable with short durations.
  • The risk of concomitant serious bacterial infection in infants with influenza is minimal.
Abstract

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