tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Pediatr Infect Dis J
. 2023 Sep 7.
doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000004090. Online ahead of print. Epidemiology and Burden of Influenza in Children 0-14 Years Over Ten Consecutive Seasons in Italy
Elisa Barbieri[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Gloria Porcu[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Daniele Donà[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Sara Cavagnis[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Luigi Cantarutti[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Antonio Scamarcia[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Ian McGovern[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Mendel Haag[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Carlo Giaquinto[SUP] 1 4 [/SUP], Anna Cantarutti[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Background: In Europe, influenza vaccination coverage in the pediatric population is low. This study describes the influenza incidence and associated healthcare utilization in the pediatric population in Italy.
Methods: Deidentified data from electronic medical records for children 0-14 years old seen by >150 family pediatricians in the Pedianet network in Italy were evaluated for 10 influenza seasons spanning 2010-2020. Incidence of influenza (cases per 1000 person-months), related sequelae and associated healthcare resource use were determined using diagnostic, prescription and medical examination data.
Results: Over 10 seasons, an average of 8892 influenza cases (range, 4700-12,419; total 88,921) were diagnosed in a cohort of 1,432,384 children 0-14 years of age. Influenza vaccination coverage was 3.6% among children with an influenza diagnosis and 6.8% among children without. Influenza-related healthcare resource utilization included 1.58 family pediatrician visits per influenza episode and 220 ED and 111 hospital admissions, with the highest resource usage among children 1-4 years and lowest among children <6 months old. The most common influenza complications were acute otitis media (2.9% of influenza cases) and pneumonia (0.5%). Antibiotics were prescribed in 38.7% of influenza cases; no antiviral agents were prescribed. One intensive care unit admission and 2 cases requiring ventilatory support were documented. No influenza-related deaths were reported.
Conclusion: Pediatric influenza vaccination was low despite the burden and healthcare use related to seasonal influenza in the pediatric population during a 10-year period in Italy.
. 2023 Sep 7.
doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000004090. Online ahead of print. Epidemiology and Burden of Influenza in Children 0-14 Years Over Ten Consecutive Seasons in Italy
Elisa Barbieri[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Gloria Porcu[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP], Daniele Donà[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Sara Cavagnis[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Luigi Cantarutti[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Antonio Scamarcia[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Ian McGovern[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Mendel Haag[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Carlo Giaquinto[SUP] 1 4 [/SUP], Anna Cantarutti[SUP] 2 3 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 37725811
- DOI: 10.1097/INF.0000000000004090
Background: In Europe, influenza vaccination coverage in the pediatric population is low. This study describes the influenza incidence and associated healthcare utilization in the pediatric population in Italy.
Methods: Deidentified data from electronic medical records for children 0-14 years old seen by >150 family pediatricians in the Pedianet network in Italy were evaluated for 10 influenza seasons spanning 2010-2020. Incidence of influenza (cases per 1000 person-months), related sequelae and associated healthcare resource use were determined using diagnostic, prescription and medical examination data.
Results: Over 10 seasons, an average of 8892 influenza cases (range, 4700-12,419; total 88,921) were diagnosed in a cohort of 1,432,384 children 0-14 years of age. Influenza vaccination coverage was 3.6% among children with an influenza diagnosis and 6.8% among children without. Influenza-related healthcare resource utilization included 1.58 family pediatrician visits per influenza episode and 220 ED and 111 hospital admissions, with the highest resource usage among children 1-4 years and lowest among children <6 months old. The most common influenza complications were acute otitis media (2.9% of influenza cases) and pneumonia (0.5%). Antibiotics were prescribed in 38.7% of influenza cases; no antiviral agents were prescribed. One intensive care unit admission and 2 cases requiring ventilatory support were documented. No influenza-related deaths were reported.
Conclusion: Pediatric influenza vaccination was low despite the burden and healthcare use related to seasonal influenza in the pediatric population during a 10-year period in Italy.