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Pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus in households with young children

Ville Peltola1, Tamara Teros-Jaakkola, Maris Rulli

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland. ville.peltola@utu.fi

Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses
|September 29, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Pandemic 2009 influenza A (H1N1) spread readily within households containing young children. Parent-collected nasal swabs proved effective for tracking influenza transmission, supporting vaccination for all family contacts.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Influenza viruses pose significant risks to infants and young children.
  • Limited understanding of pandemic 2009 influenza A (H1N1) transmission dynamics in households with young children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the transmission patterns of pandemic 2009 influenza A (H1N1) within households.
  • To assess the feasibility of parent-collected nasal swabs for influenza surveillance.

Main Methods:

  • Studied 6 households with children under 1.5 years old diagnosed with 2009 influenza A (H1N1).
  • Utilized daily symptom diaries and serial, parent-collected nasal swab samples.
  • Employed reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for influenza A detection.

Main Results:

  • Symptomatic influenza confirmed in 73% of household contacts.
  • Influenza virus median copy number was significantly higher in children than adults.
  • Identified various initial sources of influenza A (H1N1) within households.

Conclusions:

  • Parental nasal swab sampling is a feasible method for studying household influenza transmission.
  • Results support the recommendation of influenza vaccination for all household contacts of young children.
Abstract

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