title: 2009 influenza A in infants hospitalized at younger than 6 months.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of infants hospitalized at <6 months of age with 2009 influenza A infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective laboratory surveillance and discharge International Classification of Disease, 9th edition codes for influenza infection were used to identify all infants hospitalized at <6 months of age with positive influenza A tests at Children's Medical Center Dallas from April 27, 2009 to March 23, 2010. Retrospective chart review then was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-three infants aged <6 months were hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza A infection at a median age of 48 days (range, 3-179 days). The most common clinical characteristics were fever and respiratory signs, and 53% were given a bolus of intravenous fluid. Median length of hospitalization was 2 days (range, 1-162 days). Twenty (27%) infants developed influenza-related complications, including pneumonia (n = 3), hypoxia (n = 18), seizures (n = 2), need for intensive care (n = 8), or death (n = 2). Oseltamivir was administered to 60 (82%) infants and was well tolerated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of infants hospitalized with 2009 influenza A had community-acquired infection that was associated with short hospital stays and favorable short-term outcomes. Complications including death occurred, emphasizing the need for preventive strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 95390-9063, USA.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lopez-Medina
authors.forename: Monica I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Ardura
authors.forename: Jane D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Siegel
authors.forename: Evangeline
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brock
authors.forename: Pablo J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Sánchez
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009980:Influenza A virus; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies