TY - JOUR
T1 - Influenza infection in infants aged <6 months during the H1N1-09 pandemic
T2 - a hospital-based case series
AU - Esterman, Emilia E.
AU - Lahra, Monica M.
AU - Zurynski, Yvonne A.
AU - Booy, Robert
AU - Elliott, Elizabeth J.
PY - 2013/8/1
Y1 - 2013/8/1
N2 - Aims: To document risk factors, clinical features and outcomes in infants <6 months old admitted with laboratory-confirmed influenza to The Children's Hospital at Westmead during the H1N1-09 pandemic. Methods: Prospective, hospital-based case series of infants admitted June-September 2009, identified by the Paediatric Active Enhanced Disease Surveillance system and supplemented by telephone interview post-discharge. Results: Thirty-two infants <6 months old had influenza A: 18 H1N1-09, 11 H3N2 and three unknown subtypes. After discharge, 28 (88%) families were telephoned and provided additional information. Documented risk factors included close contact with young children (46%), living with a smoker (36%), intensive or special care at birth (25%), pre-existing illness (16%) and preterm birth (14%). The number of persons per household was double the state average. Only 14% of mothers were vaccinated against seasonal influenza. Infants commonly presented with cough (69%), coryza (69%), lethargy (38%), fever (31%), dyspnoea (31%) and vomiting (28%). Complications included pneumonia (22%), and bacterial (9%) and viral (6%) co-infection. Five infants (15%) required admission to intensive care, and one was mechanically ventilated. Sixteen (57%) had ongoing respiratory problems, and six (21%) presented to the Emergency Department within 6 months of discharge. Conclusions: These novel data are clinically important. Rates of influenza in infants may be reduced by vaccinating close contacts and minimising exposure to infected contacts and cigarette smoke.
AB - Aims: To document risk factors, clinical features and outcomes in infants <6 months old admitted with laboratory-confirmed influenza to The Children's Hospital at Westmead during the H1N1-09 pandemic. Methods: Prospective, hospital-based case series of infants admitted June-September 2009, identified by the Paediatric Active Enhanced Disease Surveillance system and supplemented by telephone interview post-discharge. Results: Thirty-two infants <6 months old had influenza A: 18 H1N1-09, 11 H3N2 and three unknown subtypes. After discharge, 28 (88%) families were telephoned and provided additional information. Documented risk factors included close contact with young children (46%), living with a smoker (36%), intensive or special care at birth (25%), pre-existing illness (16%) and preterm birth (14%). The number of persons per household was double the state average. Only 14% of mothers were vaccinated against seasonal influenza. Infants commonly presented with cough (69%), coryza (69%), lethargy (38%), fever (31%), dyspnoea (31%) and vomiting (28%). Complications included pneumonia (22%), and bacterial (9%) and viral (6%) co-infection. Five infants (15%) required admission to intensive care, and one was mechanically ventilated. Sixteen (57%) had ongoing respiratory problems, and six (21%) presented to the Emergency Department within 6 months of discharge. Conclusions: These novel data are clinically important. Rates of influenza in infants may be reduced by vaccinating close contacts and minimising exposure to infected contacts and cigarette smoke.
KW - H1N1-09 pandemic
KW - infant
KW - influenza
KW - risk factor.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84881376531&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/jpc.12266
DO - 10.1111/jpc.12266
M3 - Article
C2 - 23782402
AN - SCOPUS:84881376531
VL - 49
SP - 635
EP - 640
JO - Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health
JF - Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health
SN - 1440-1754
IS - 8
ER -