Impact of influenza infection on children's hospital admissions during two seasons in Athens, Greece

A prospective epidemiologic surveillance of hospitalizations associated with influenza was conducted in order to calculate population-based hospitalization rates. Eligible children were 6 months to 13 years of age and were admitted to one of the two large children's hospitals in the Athens area...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Vaccine 2011-02, Vol.29 (6), p.1167-1172
Main Authors: Sakkou, Z, Stripeli, F, Papadopoulos, N.G, Critselis, E, Georgiou, V, Mavrikou, M, Drossatou, P, Constantopoulos, A, Kafetzis, D, Tsolia, M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Allergy and Immunology
Antibiotics
Applied microbiology
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Child, Preschool
Children
Children & youth
Epidemiology
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Greece - epidemiology
Hospitalization
Hospitalization - statistics & numerical data
Hospitals
Humans
Immunization
Infant
Influenza
Influenza, Human - complications
Influenza, Human - epidemiology
Male
Microbiology
monitoring
Mortality
Nasopharynx - virology
otitis media
Otitis Media - epidemiology
patients
Prevalence
Prospective Studies
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
RNA, Viral - genetics
Seasons
seizures
Seizures - epidemiology
Urban Population
vaccines
Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies (general aspects)
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Summary:A prospective epidemiologic surveillance of hospitalizations associated with influenza was conducted in order to calculate population-based hospitalization rates. Eligible children were 6 months to 13 years of age and were admitted to one of the two large children's hospitals in the Athens area during two influenza seasons. Nasopharyngeal aspirates were tested for influenza by a polymerase reaction assay. Influenza accounted for 9.9–11.8% of all admissions during the influenza season and the overall annual rate of hospitalizations was 13.6–16.8 cases per 10,000 children being highest for children under 5 years of age (26–31.2/10,000 children). Febrile seizures and acute otitis media were the two most common complications associated with influenza and antibiotics were administered to 61% of flu positive patients. Influenza is associated with high hospitalization rates among young children and these may be substantially reduced with the introduction of routine immunization.
ISSN:0264-410X
1873-2518
DOI:10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.12.014