Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2014/12/flu-scan-dec-04-2014
Flu Scan for Dec 04, 2014
Flu risks in kids; H7N9 case in China
Filed Under:
Influenza, General; H7N9 Avian Influenza; Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
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Meta-analysis hints that premies may risk flu complications
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A systematic review published today of data on 15,698 children found that premature birth may need to be added to the risk factors that place children at risk for serious complications from influenza, but an accompanying commentary advised not reading too much into the findings.
Writing in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, UK researchers conducted a meta-analysis involving 27 published and 4 unpublished studies and found neurologic disorders (univariable odds ratio [OR], 4.62), sickle cell disease (3.46), immunosuppression (2.39), diabetes (2.34), and age younger than 2 years (2.51) to be associated strongly with hospital admission. These risk factors are consistent with UK, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and World Health Organization guidelines.
The team also noted, though, that premature birth was associated with an OR of 4.33, which would be a new risk factor. And they did not find asthma or other respiratory conditions, obesity, cardiac conditions, or cancer to be statistically significant risk factors.
In a commentary in the same issue, however, Harish Nair, MD, PhD, of the University of Edinburgh and the CDC's Marc-Alain Widdowson, VetMB, MSc, said both the negative results and the finding of premature birth as a risk factor should be interpreted with caution.
They note that the authors measured the risk of hospital admission in children already seeking care, including in emergency departments, which would already place them at high risk and underreport risk factors. And they said that five of the seven studies analyzed for prematurity did not define it in terms of gestational age, which is a study weakness.
Yet Nair and Widdowson agreed with the study authors that identifying children vulnerable to flu complications is crucial. They emphasized the importance of increasing flu and pneumococcal vaccine uptake in children, especially in countries with low coverage.
Dec 4 Lancet Respir Med abstract
Dec 4 Lancet Respir Med commentary
China's Fujian province reports H7N9 case
Another human case of H7N9 avian influenza has been reported this week, this one in a 27-year-old man from the city of Fuqing in the Fujian province of southeast China, according to a story from China's state news agency Xinhau today.
He is in critical condition at a hospital in Fuzhou, capital of the Fujian province. His is the 23rd case reported from the province, says a story in Outbreak News Today.
Reports of human H7N9 in China first began in the spring of 2013. Since then, 463 cases have been reported, according to a case list kept by FluTrackers, an infectious disease news message board. At least 175 deaths have been reported
Dec 4 Xinhua report
Dec 4 Outbreak News Today story
FluTrackers H7N9 case list
Flu Scan for Dec 04, 2014
Flu risks in kids; H7N9 case in China
Filed Under:
Influenza, General; H7N9 Avian Influenza; Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
[/B]
Meta-analysis hints that premies may risk flu complications
[/B]
A systematic review published today of data on 15,698 children found that premature birth may need to be added to the risk factors that place children at risk for serious complications from influenza, but an accompanying commentary advised not reading too much into the findings.
Writing in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, UK researchers conducted a meta-analysis involving 27 published and 4 unpublished studies and found neurologic disorders (univariable odds ratio [OR], 4.62), sickle cell disease (3.46), immunosuppression (2.39), diabetes (2.34), and age younger than 2 years (2.51) to be associated strongly with hospital admission. These risk factors are consistent with UK, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and World Health Organization guidelines.
The team also noted, though, that premature birth was associated with an OR of 4.33, which would be a new risk factor. And they did not find asthma or other respiratory conditions, obesity, cardiac conditions, or cancer to be statistically significant risk factors.
In a commentary in the same issue, however, Harish Nair, MD, PhD, of the University of Edinburgh and the CDC's Marc-Alain Widdowson, VetMB, MSc, said both the negative results and the finding of premature birth as a risk factor should be interpreted with caution.
They note that the authors measured the risk of hospital admission in children already seeking care, including in emergency departments, which would already place them at high risk and underreport risk factors. And they said that five of the seven studies analyzed for prematurity did not define it in terms of gestational age, which is a study weakness.
Yet Nair and Widdowson agreed with the study authors that identifying children vulnerable to flu complications is crucial. They emphasized the importance of increasing flu and pneumococcal vaccine uptake in children, especially in countries with low coverage.
Dec 4 Lancet Respir Med abstract
Dec 4 Lancet Respir Med commentary
China's Fujian province reports H7N9 case
Another human case of H7N9 avian influenza has been reported this week, this one in a 27-year-old man from the city of Fuqing in the Fujian province of southeast China, according to a story from China's state news agency Xinhau today.
He is in critical condition at a hospital in Fuzhou, capital of the Fujian province. His is the 23rd case reported from the province, says a story in Outbreak News Today.
Reports of human H7N9 in China first began in the spring of 2013. Since then, 463 cases have been reported, according to a case list kept by FluTrackers, an infectious disease news message board. At least 175 deaths have been reported
Dec 4 Xinhua report
Dec 4 Outbreak News Today story
FluTrackers H7N9 case list