[Effectiveness of oseltamivir treatment against influenza type A and type B infection in children].
We investigated the effectiveness of oseltamivir treatment against influenza virus infection in children. We treated 131 patients (mean age, 5.8 +/- 3.6 years) with oseltamivir (4 mg/kg/day for 5 days) during the 2001-2002 epidemic. All of the patients had been diagnosed with influenza using a rapid diagnosis kit. When treatment was initiated within 48 hours of the onset of fever, 44% of the patients became afebrile (< 37.5 degrees C) within one day, and 86% of them recovered within two days. The average duration of fever after the initiation of oseltamivir treatment was 1.7 days. Oseltamivir was equally effective against both influenza type A and type B. No differences in the effectiveness of oseltamivir treatment were observed between young children (< 4 years of age) and school-aged children (> 6 years of age). No obvious side effects were observed.
Mitamura
Keiko
K
Department of Pediatrics, Nippon Kokan Hospital.
Sugaya
Norio
N
Nirasawa
Mari
M
Shinjoh
Masayoshi
M
Takeuchi
Yoshinao
Y
D000081:Acetamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D029521:Alphainfluenzavirus; D029524:Betainfluenzavirus; D053139:Oseltamivir
D000081:Acetamides; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D053139:Oseltamivir