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Influenza-like Illness in Households with Children of Preschool Age

tetano

Editor, Senior Moderator
Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2015 Dec 7. [Epub ahead of print]
[h=1]Influenza-like Illness in Households with Children of Preschool Age.[/h] Mughini-Gras L[SUP]1[/SUP], Pijnacker R, Enserink R, Heusinkveld M, van der Hoek W, van Pelt W.
[h=3]Author information[/h]

[h=3]Abstract[/h] [h=4]BACKGROUND:[/h] Influenza-like illness (ILI) is the leading cause of medical consultation amongst preschool children, who may contribute to spreading ILI-causing agents within the household. We aimed to determine the societal burden (incidence, healthcare consumption, and productivity loss) and correlates of ILI in households with preschool children.
[h=4]METHODS:[/h] A survey was performed in the Netherlands during October 2012-October 2014. Monthly, 2000 households with <4-year-old children were invited to report their symptoms and related medical care, productivity loss, and putative risk exposures for one preschool child and one parent.
[h=4]RESULTS:[/h] 8768 child-parent pairs were enrolled. ILI incidence was 2.81 episodes/child-year and 1.72 episodes/parent-year. Amongst those with ILI, healthcare utilization was 35.7% (children) and 17.7% (parents). Work absenteeism was 45.7% (median 2 workdays lost) and day-care absenteeism was 22.8% (median 1 day missed). Chronic respiratory conditions, developmental disabilities, parental occupation in healthcare/childcare, having a sibling, and attending day-care for ≤12 months, increased childhood ILI risk. Parental ILI risk increased with having chronic respiratory conditions, developmentally disabled day-care-attending children, and female gender in interaction with unemployment and multiple day-care-attending children. Breastfeeding ≤6-month-old infants and attending day-care for >24 months decreased childhood ILI risk. Pregnancy, occupation in healthcare, and having ≥3 children decreased parental ILI risk. Parents of ILI-affected children had a concurrent 4-fold higher ILI risk.
[h=4]CONCLUSION:[/h] ILI in households with preschool children has a considerable societal impact. Risk-mitigating initiatives appear justified for day-care attendees, mothers, people with chronic respiratory conditions, and children with developmental disabilities. Children attending day-care for >2 years acquire some protection to ILI.


PMID: 26646550 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
 
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