title: Influenza vaccination in the prevention of acute otitis media in children.
abstract: We studied a new approach to the prevention of acute otitis media through the administration of influenza vaccine to 187 day-care center children aged 1 to 3 years before the influenza A epidemic of 1988-1989. The control group consisted of 187 unvaccinated children of similar age and background. During the 6-week study period, influenza A infection was diagnosed in five (3%) of 187 vaccinees and in 29 (16%) of 187 controls. Acute otitis media developed in three (60%) of five vaccinees with an influenza A infection compared with 18 (67%) of 27 controls (excluded were two children with a double viral infection). The incidence of acute otitis media associated with influenza A was reduced by 83% in the vaccinees. The total number of children with acute otitis media in the vaccine group was 35, compared with 55 in the control group, disclosing a 36% reduction among the vaccinees. We conclude that influenza vaccination decreases the incidence of acute otitis media in children during an influenza A epidemic, suggesting also that other vaccines against respiratory viruses may be an effective way to reduce the incidence of acute otitis media.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Heikkinen
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ruuskanen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waris
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ziegler
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arola
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Halonen
mesh_terms: D015984:Causality; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D009980:Influenza A virus; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines