tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2020 Feb 14. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000002610. [Epub ahead of print] [h=1]Comparative Severity of Influenza A and B Infections in Hospitalized Children.[/h]
Mattila JM[SUP]1[/SUP], Vuorinen T[SUP]2,[/SUP][SUP]3[/SUP], Heikkinen T[SUP]1[/SUP].
[h=3]Author information[/h]
[h=3]Abstract[/h] [h=4]BACKGROUND:[/h] Influenza A viruses are conventionally thought to cause more severe illnesses than B viruses, but few studies with long observation periods have compared the clinical severity of A and B infections in hospitalized children.
[h=4]METHODS:[/h] We analyzed the clinical presentation, outcomes and management of all children <16 years old admitted to Turku University Hospital, Finland, with virologically confirmed influenza A or B infection during the 14-year period of 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2018. All comparisons between influenza A and B were performed both within predefined age groups (0-2, 3-9 and 10-15 years) and in all age groups combined.
[h=4]RESULTS:[/h] Among 391 children hospitalized with influenza A or B infection, influenza A was diagnosed in 279 (71.4%) and influenza B in 112 (28.6%) children. Overall, there were no significant differences in any clinical features or outcomes, management, treatment at intensive care unit or length of stay between children with influenza A and B, whether analyzed by age group or among all children. As indicators of the most severe clinical presentations, blood cultures were obtained from 101 (36.2%) children with influenza A and 39 (34.8%) with influenza B (P = 0.80), and lumbar puncture was performed to 16 (5.7%) children with influenza A and 11 (9.8%) children with influenza B (P = 0.15).
[h=4]CONCLUSIONS:[/h] The clinical severity of influenza A and B infections is similar in children. For optimal protection against severe influenza illnesses, the use of quadrivalent vaccines containing both lineages of B viruses seems warranted in children.
PMID: 32091502 DOI: 10.1097/INF.0000000000002610
Mattila JM[SUP]1[/SUP], Vuorinen T[SUP]2,[/SUP][SUP]3[/SUP], Heikkinen T[SUP]1[/SUP].
[h=3]Author information[/h]
[h=3]Abstract[/h] [h=4]BACKGROUND:[/h] Influenza A viruses are conventionally thought to cause more severe illnesses than B viruses, but few studies with long observation periods have compared the clinical severity of A and B infections in hospitalized children.
[h=4]METHODS:[/h] We analyzed the clinical presentation, outcomes and management of all children <16 years old admitted to Turku University Hospital, Finland, with virologically confirmed influenza A or B infection during the 14-year period of 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2018. All comparisons between influenza A and B were performed both within predefined age groups (0-2, 3-9 and 10-15 years) and in all age groups combined.
[h=4]RESULTS:[/h] Among 391 children hospitalized with influenza A or B infection, influenza A was diagnosed in 279 (71.4%) and influenza B in 112 (28.6%) children. Overall, there were no significant differences in any clinical features or outcomes, management, treatment at intensive care unit or length of stay between children with influenza A and B, whether analyzed by age group or among all children. As indicators of the most severe clinical presentations, blood cultures were obtained from 101 (36.2%) children with influenza A and 39 (34.8%) with influenza B (P = 0.80), and lumbar puncture was performed to 16 (5.7%) children with influenza A and 11 (9.8%) children with influenza B (P = 0.15).
[h=4]CONCLUSIONS:[/h] The clinical severity of influenza A and B infections is similar in children. For optimal protection against severe influenza illnesses, the use of quadrivalent vaccines containing both lineages of B viruses seems warranted in children.
PMID: 32091502 DOI: 10.1097/INF.0000000000002610