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Using Zebrafish Models of Human Influenza A Virus Infections to Screen Antiviral Drugs and Characterize Host Immune Cell Responses
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Early Antiviral Therapy in Pediatric Outpatients and Risk of Influenza-Related Hospitalization

Ya-Ning Huang1,2,3, Chia-Jung Chang4, Yu-Ling Dai1,2

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Hsinchu Municipal MacKay Children's Hospital, Hsinchu, Taiwan.

Pediatrics
|August 16, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Early antiviral therapy significantly lowers hospitalization risk for children with influenza. Prompt treatment within 48 hours of symptom onset is crucial for preventing severe illness in pediatric patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric infectious diseases
  • Epidemiology
  • Pharmacotherapy

Background:

  • Limited evidence exists on antiviral therapy's effectiveness in preventing severe influenza illness and hospitalization in children.
  • Influenza poses a significant risk for severe outcomes in pediatric populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effectiveness of early antiviral therapy in reducing severe illness and hospitalization in pediatric influenza patients.
  • To test the hypothesis that antiviral treatment initiated within 48 hours of symptom onset improves outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • A multicenter, retrospective case-control study involving pediatric outpatients with confirmed influenza (2020-2023).
  • Cases were hospitalized or deceased children; controls were non-hospitalized children, matched by age and visit date.
  • Conditional logistic regression analyzed early (within 48 hours) vs. delayed/no antiviral therapy.

Main Results:

  • Early antiviral therapy was associated with an 81% reduced risk of hospitalization (aOR, 0.19).
  • This protective effect was consistent across age groups: 5 years or younger (aOR, 0.19) and older than 5 years (aOR, 0.15).
  • Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these findings across different antiviral agents.

Conclusions:

  • Early antiviral therapy substantially decreases the risk of severe illness and hospitalization in pediatric influenza patients.
  • The findings support the prompt initiation of antiviral treatment for children diagnosed with influenza.
Abstract

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