title: Clinical features and outcomes of influenza A and B infections in children.
abstract: The aim of the study was to describe the course of influenza among children aged 0-59 months. A total of 150 children with influenza-like symptoms (ILI): cough, fever >37.8 °C, and sore throat was included into the observation. All children were tested with both rapid influenza detection test (RIDT) BD Directigen™ EZ Flu A+B® and RT-PCR. Sixty four cases of influenza were diagnosed (incidence rate 40 %): 19 (30 %) cases of influenza caused by type B virus and 45 (70 %) cases caused by type A virus. Children with influenza required more often follow up visits (p < 0.05, OR 1.99, 95 % CI 1.03-3.85) and less often were administrated antibiotic therapy (p < 0.05, OR 0.25, 95 % CI 0.04-0.97). The logistic regression analysis revealed that only positive result of rapid influenza detection test, not any of clinical symptoms, could be found as an independent predictor of influenza (OR 4.37, 95 % CI 2.03-9.43). Patients with influenza type A more often reported muscle ache (p < 0.05) and complications (p < 0.05; OR 6.06, 95 % CI 1.20-60.38). Otitis media occurred more often among patients with than without influenza (p < 0.01; OR 15.50, 95 % CI 2.10-688.5). We conclude that although influenza infections among children younger than 59 months were generally mild and self-limited, pediatric burden of the disease was significant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Warsaw Medical University, 1A Banacha St., Bldg. F, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland, anitsch@amwaw.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Aneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nitsch-Osuch
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wozniak-Kosek
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Korzeniewski
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zycinska
authors.forename: Kazimierz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wardyn
authors.forename: Lidia B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Brydak
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003371:Cough; D005334:Fever; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D007223:Infant; D009980:Influenza A virus; D009981:Influenza B virus; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*; D010612:Pharyngitis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012044:Regression Analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013696:Temperature; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines