Snotwatch: an ecological analysis of the relationship between febrile seizures and respiratory virus activity

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Updated: Sep 7, 2025

A Behavioral Screen for Heat-Induced Seizures in Mouse Models of Epilepsy
06:58

A Behavioral Screen for Heat-Induced Seizures in Mouse Models of Epilepsy

Published on: July 12, 2021

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Rana Sawires1,2, Martin Kuldorff3, Michael Fahey4,5

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia. rana.sawires@monash.edu.

BMC Pediatrics
|June 22, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Febrile seizure incidence peaks in winter, linked to seasonal respiratory viruses like Influenza A and Respiratory Syncytial Virus. This study also reveals a novel association between febrile seizures and Human metapneumovirus.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Epidemiology
  • Virology

Background:

  • Febrile seizures are common in young children (6 months to 5 years).
  • While often benign, they increase risks for recurrence, afebrile seizures, and epilepsy.
  • Viral infections are the primary cause of febrile illnesses leading to seizures, with seasonal patterns observed.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze seasonal patterns of febrile seizure incidence in relation to specific viral activity.
  • To develop a framework for correlating virus circulation data with common illnesses in a defined population.
  • To investigate trends in febrile seizure presentations and respiratory virus detection.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized emergency department data on febrile seizures and respiratory multiplex PCR test results from Monash Health (2010-2019).
  • Employed mixed-effects Poisson regression for temporal analysis of monthly febrile seizure incidence and positive PCR test rates.
  • Calculated peak season risk ratios by comparing peak viral seasons (95th centile) to median circulation (50th centile).

Main Results:

  • Observed a significant winter peak in febrile seizure incidence from June to September, with a 1.75-2.06 annual risk ratio.
  • Temporal analysis confirmed the peak was linked to circulating viruses during this season.
  • Correlations were found with increased rates of Influenza A (1.48 RR), Influenza B (1.31 RR), Human metapneumovirus (1.19 RR), and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (1.53 RR).

Conclusions:

  • Statistically confirmed the recognized winter peak in febrile seizure incidence.
  • Attributed the seasonal relationship to specific viral infections prevalent in the community.
  • Identified a novel association between febrile seizures and Human metapneumovirus infections.
Abstract

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