title: Should healthy children be vaccinated against influenza? A consensus report of the Summits of Independent European Vaccination Experts.
abstract: Influenza is often regarded as an illness of the elderly portion of the population because most of the excess mortality associated with influenza epidemics occurs in that age group. However, evidence derived from a large number of clinical studies carried out in different countries and various settings has clearly demonstrated that the burden of influenza is also substantial in children. The attack rates of influenza during annual epidemics are consistently highest in children, and young children are hospitalized for influenza-related illnesses at rates comparable to those for adults with high-risk conditions. Especially among children younger than 3 years of age, influenza frequently predisposes the patient to bacterial complications such as acute otitis media. Children also serve as the main transmitters of influenza in the community. A safe and effective vaccine against influenza has been available for decades, but the vaccine is rarely used even for children with high-risk conditions. Despite several existing problems related to influenza vaccination of children, the current evidence indicates that the advantages of vaccinating young children would clearly outweigh the disadvantages. Considering the total burden of influenza in children, children younger than 3 years of age should be regarded as a high-risk group for influenza, analogously with the age-based definition of high risk among persons 65 years of age or older. Annual influenza vaccination should be recommended to all children from 6 months to 3 years of age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Turku University Hospital, 20520, Turku, Finland. terho.heikkinen@utu.fi
authors.forename: Terho
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Heikkinen
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Booy
authors.forename: Magda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Campins
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Finn
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Olcén
authors.forename: Heikki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Peltola
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rodrigo
authors.forename: Heinz-Josef
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schumacher
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Teo
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Weil-Olivier
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005060:Europe; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs; D007223:Infant; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000600:supply & distribution / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D012307:Risk Factors; D015163:Superinfection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines