tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Front Pediatr
. 2022 Sep 7;10:963274.
doi: 10.3389/fped.2022.963274. eCollection 2022.
The burden of hospital-attended influenza in Norwegian children
Håkon Bøås[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Terese Bekkevold[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Lise Beier Havdal[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Anne-Marte Bakken Kran[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Astrid Elisabeth Rojahn[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Ketil Størdal[SUP] 4 5 6 [/SUP], Sara Debes[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Henrik Døllner[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP], Svein Arne Nordbø[SUP] 10 9 [/SUP], Bjørn Barstad[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Elisebet Haarr[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Liliana Vázquez Fernández[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Britt Nakstad[SUP] 2 6 [/SUP], Truls Michael Leegaard[SUP] 13 14 [/SUP], Olav Hungnes[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Elmira Flem[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Norwegian Enhanced Pediatric Immunisation Surveillance (NorEPIS) Network
Collaborators, Affiliations
Abstract
Background: Norwegian health authorities do not recommend universal pediatric vaccination against seasonal influenza. We aimed to estimate the incidence of influenza by age and underlying medical conditions in hospitalized Norwegian children aged <18 years.
Methods: Active surveillance for influenza in children <18 years was implemented in five hospitals during 2015-18. Children with respiratory symptoms and/or fever were prospectively enrolled and tested for influenza. Surveillance data were linked to health registry data to estimate the national burden of influenza in hospitals.
Results: In 309 (10%) out of 3,010 hospital contacts, the child tested positive for influenza, corresponding to an average incidence of 0.96 hospital-attended influenza cases per 1,000 children <18 years of age. Children <1 year of age (3.8 per 1,000 children) and children with underlying medical conditions (17 per 1,000 children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia) had the highest average incidence. Among <1 year old children, 3% tested positive for influenza, compared to 25% for children aged 6-17. Few children were vaccinated against influenza.
Conclusions: Children <1 year of age and children with underlying medical conditions had a higher incidence of influenza requiring hospital treatment compared to the general population. Effective interventions against seasonal influenza for children in Norway should be considered.
Keywords: children; disease burden; hospital-attended influenza; pediatric; surveillance.
. 2022 Sep 7;10:963274.
doi: 10.3389/fped.2022.963274. eCollection 2022.
The burden of hospital-attended influenza in Norwegian children
Håkon Bøås[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Terese Bekkevold[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Lise Beier Havdal[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Anne-Marte Bakken Kran[SUP] 1 3 [/SUP], Astrid Elisabeth Rojahn[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Ketil Størdal[SUP] 4 5 6 [/SUP], Sara Debes[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Henrik Døllner[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP], Svein Arne Nordbø[SUP] 10 9 [/SUP], Bjørn Barstad[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Elisebet Haarr[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Liliana Vázquez Fernández[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Britt Nakstad[SUP] 2 6 [/SUP], Truls Michael Leegaard[SUP] 13 14 [/SUP], Olav Hungnes[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Elmira Flem[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Norwegian Enhanced Pediatric Immunisation Surveillance (NorEPIS) Network
Collaborators, Affiliations
- PMID: 36160779
- PMCID: PMC9491848
- DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.963274
Abstract
Background: Norwegian health authorities do not recommend universal pediatric vaccination against seasonal influenza. We aimed to estimate the incidence of influenza by age and underlying medical conditions in hospitalized Norwegian children aged <18 years.
Methods: Active surveillance for influenza in children <18 years was implemented in five hospitals during 2015-18. Children with respiratory symptoms and/or fever were prospectively enrolled and tested for influenza. Surveillance data were linked to health registry data to estimate the national burden of influenza in hospitals.
Results: In 309 (10%) out of 3,010 hospital contacts, the child tested positive for influenza, corresponding to an average incidence of 0.96 hospital-attended influenza cases per 1,000 children <18 years of age. Children <1 year of age (3.8 per 1,000 children) and children with underlying medical conditions (17 per 1,000 children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia) had the highest average incidence. Among <1 year old children, 3% tested positive for influenza, compared to 25% for children aged 6-17. Few children were vaccinated against influenza.
Conclusions: Children <1 year of age and children with underlying medical conditions had a higher incidence of influenza requiring hospital treatment compared to the general population. Effective interventions against seasonal influenza for children in Norway should be considered.
Keywords: children; disease burden; hospital-attended influenza; pediatric; surveillance.