title: Pediatric hospitalizations with influenza A infection during the 2009-2010 pandemic in five hospitals in Japan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to identify the clinical characteristics of hospitalized children with the 2009 pandemic influenza virus infection in Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed cases of hospitalized children younger than 16 years with laboratory-confirmed influenza A virus infection during the 2009-2010 pandemic season in five hospitals in Japan.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 515 cases were included in the analysis. The median age was 6.3 years (range 0-15), and 216 subjects (41.9%) had one or more underlying medical conditions. There were no fatalities, but 16 patients (3.1%) required intensive care. More than 93% of the subjects received neuraminidase inhibitors, and more than 87% received these medications within 48 h of the onset of symptoms. Approximately 80% of all subjects were admitted to hospital within 48 h of the onset of symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There were no fatalities, and the proportion of patients with serious illness was substantially lower than previously reported from other countries. Good access to medical services and proactive treatment may have contributed to the lower disease burden of the 2009 influenza pandemic on Japanese children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan. koba7masa@med.osaka-cu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Satoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohfuji
authors.forename: Wakaba
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fukushima
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sugiura
authors.forename: Urara
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kohdera
authors.forename: Yuhei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: Saburo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ide
authors.forename: Keizou
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohbu
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hirota
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002673:Child, Hospitalized / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D058873:Pandemics; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents