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Open Forum Infect Dis. 2019 Apr 23;6(6):ofz195. doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofz195. eCollection 2019 Jun.
Multiple Influenza Virus Infections in 4 Consecutive Epidemiological Seasons: A Retrospective Study in Children and Adolescents.
M?st J1, Redlberger-Fritz M2, Weiss G3.
Author information
Abstract
Background:
Recent observations provide evidence for group-specific immunity toward influenza A infections and raise the question of how often we can get the flu.
Methods:
We retrospectively analyzed 2308 cases of children and adolescents with clinically manifested influenza and a positive PCR-test during the last 4 epidemiological seasons (2014-15 through 2017-18).
Results:
In the 2015-16 epidemiological season, almost 12% of patients had experienced an influenza infection during the previous season; in the 2016-17 season, more than 14% had at least 1 infection during the previous 2 seasons, and in 2017-18 season, over 18% had 1 or more infections during the previous 3 seasons. The majority of these repetitive infections occurred in children between 3-8 years of age. 29 patients experienced 3 or 4 infections during these seasons, whereas 38 children had 2 influenza episodes within the same season. Epidemiological pattern of circulating viral strains changed yearly; however, we identified 5 patients with confirmed influenza B infections during the 2014-15 and 2017-18 seasons, when only subtype Yamagata was circulating in Austria.
Conclusions:
Repetitive influenza infections in consecutive epidemiological seasons occurred quite frequently in children and adolescents. Observations like ours contribute to a better understanding of the immunity against influenza virus infections and could have implications for future vaccination strategies.
KEYWORDS:
children; epidemiology; influenza; multiple infections
PMID: 31223630 PMCID: PMC6579483 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofz195
Free PMC Article
Multiple Influenza Virus Infections in 4 Consecutive Epidemiological Seasons: A Retrospective Study in Children and Adolescents.
M?st J1, Redlberger-Fritz M2, Weiss G3.
Author information
Abstract
Background:
Recent observations provide evidence for group-specific immunity toward influenza A infections and raise the question of how often we can get the flu.
Methods:
We retrospectively analyzed 2308 cases of children and adolescents with clinically manifested influenza and a positive PCR-test during the last 4 epidemiological seasons (2014-15 through 2017-18).
Results:
In the 2015-16 epidemiological season, almost 12% of patients had experienced an influenza infection during the previous season; in the 2016-17 season, more than 14% had at least 1 infection during the previous 2 seasons, and in 2017-18 season, over 18% had 1 or more infections during the previous 3 seasons. The majority of these repetitive infections occurred in children between 3-8 years of age. 29 patients experienced 3 or 4 infections during these seasons, whereas 38 children had 2 influenza episodes within the same season. Epidemiological pattern of circulating viral strains changed yearly; however, we identified 5 patients with confirmed influenza B infections during the 2014-15 and 2017-18 seasons, when only subtype Yamagata was circulating in Austria.
Conclusions:
Repetitive influenza infections in consecutive epidemiological seasons occurred quite frequently in children and adolescents. Observations like ours contribute to a better understanding of the immunity against influenza virus infections and could have implications for future vaccination strategies.
KEYWORDS:
children; epidemiology; influenza; multiple infections
PMID: 31223630 PMCID: PMC6579483 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofz195
Free PMC Article