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Influenza type A and B infections in hospitalized pediatric patients. Who should be immunized?
J R Serwint1, R M Miller, B M Korsch
1Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Calif.
Insights
Influenza vaccination is crucial for high-risk pediatric patients, especially those with chronic pulmonary disease, to reduce severe illness and mortality. Immunization is recommended to prevent complications in vulnerable children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Respiratory Virology
- Public Health
Background:
- Influenza poses a significant risk to hospitalized pediatric patients.
- Identifying high-risk groups is essential for targeted prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare morbidity and mortality between high-risk and low-risk pediatric patients with influenza.
- To evaluate the potential benefit of influenza vaccination in high-risk children.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of medical records for 99 hospitalized pediatric patients with confirmed influenza A or B.
- Comparison of outcomes between high-risk (n=43) and low-risk (n=56) patient groups.
Main Results:
- High-risk patients, particularly those with chronic pulmonary disease (66%), experienced longer hospitalizations (44% vs. 11%) and higher rates of nosocomial infections (14% vs. 4%).
- Intubation and mortality were more frequent in the high-risk group (4 vs. 1, and 2 vs. 1, respectively).
- None of the high-risk patients with severe outcomes had received influenza immunization.
Conclusions:
- Influenza infection leads to increased morbidity and mortality in high-risk pediatric patients.
- Influenza vaccination should be strongly recommended for high-risk children, especially those with pulmonary conditions.
Abstract:
Medical records of 99 hospitalized pediatric patients whose respiratory viral cultures yielded influenza type A or B during the winter of 1988/1989 were reviewed. We compared the records of patients considered to be at high risk (n = 43) with those of patients considered to be at low risk (n = 56) to determine differences in morbidity and mortality and if vaccination was warranted. Sixty-six percent of high-risk patients had chronic pulmonary disease. Forty-four percent of the high-risk and 11% of the low-risk patients were hospitalized for 14 or more days. Nosocomial influenza infections were identified in 14% of the high-risk and 4% of the low-risk patients. Four of the high-risk patients and only one of the low-risk patients were intubated. Of the three deaths, two occurred in the high-risk group. None of the high-risk patients who experienced significant morbidity had been immunized. We need to immunize high-risk patients, particularly high-risk pulmonary patients.