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Infant influenza
1Sakuma Pediatric Clinic, Isikai, Japan.
Insights
Infant influenza symptoms are mild in infants under 6 months, becoming more severe with age. Diphasic fever is common in older infants, with most infections originating from family members.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Virology
Background:
- Limited data exists on infant influenza symptoms, particularly in those under one year of age.
- Influenza poses a significant health concern for infants, necessitating a better understanding of its clinical presentation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the clinical symptoms, nutritional status, and sources of infection in 105 infants diagnosed with influenza.
- To analyze age-related differences in influenza symptom severity and fever patterns in infants.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 105 infant influenza cases from 1989-1996.
- Clinical examination of symptoms, nutrition, and infection source.
- Viral studies conducted for pathogen identification.
Main Results:
- Infants under 6 months exhibited mild symptoms, low fever, and few complications.
- Symptom severity and the incidence of diphasic fever increased with infant age.
- Over 50% of infants older than 9 months presented with diphasic fever.
- Family members were the source of infection for most infants under 4 months.
Conclusions:
- Influenza symptomology in infants is age-dependent, with younger infants experiencing milder illness.
- Diphasic fever is a notable symptom in older infants with influenza.
- Family transmission is a primary route for infant influenza infection.
Abstract:
Reports on the symptoms of infant influenza (less than 1 year of age) are very few. From 1989 to 1996, 105 infants with influenza were examined. The symptoms, nutrition and source of infection of the 105 patients were investigated in Sakuma Pediatric Clinic and viral studies were performed at the Kitakyushu City Institute of Environmental Sciences. The symptoms of patients under 6 months old are very mild, with a low maximum body temperature and a short duration of fever. Other complications are few. The symptoms gradually become more severe with each month of age. The ratio of patients displaying a diphasic fever with two peak temperatures increases with each month of age. Over 50% of patients over 9 months old have this diphasic fever with two peak temperatures. It is inconclusive whether an anti-infective factor in human milk exists or not. Of the 105 patients in this study, 28 were under 4 months of age: of these 28, all but 3 were infected by family members.