title: Influenza and Influenza-like Viruses in Children in the Epidemic Season 2015/2016 in Poland.
abstract: Influenza is an infectious disease caused by influenza A and B viruses. Children are the group which is the most exposed to influenza and influenza-like infections. They are considered as carriers of influenza infections in the population. In the epidemic season 2015/2016 more than 8000 samples were tested, of which over 30 % specimens were collected from patients aged 0-14 years. In 42.3 % cases the influenza or influenza-like viruses were confirmed. The most common subtype was A/H1N1/pdm09. Analysis of positive specimens was categorized into three smaller groups 0-4, 5-9, 10-14. Differences in the frequency of virus detections in younger age groups appeared. This study has shown that children are a very important group in the spread of the influenza virus in the population. A higher percentage of vaccinated children would decrease the number of infected patients in the whole population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Influenza Research, National Influenza Center, National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, 24 Chocimska Street, 00-791, Warsaw, Poland. kcieslak@pzh.gov.pl.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cieślak
authors.affiliation: Department of Influenza Research, National Influenza Center, National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, 24 Chocimska Street, 00-791, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Szymański
authors.affiliation: Department of Influenza Research, National Influenza Center, National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, 24 Chocimska Street, 00-791, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kowalczyk
authors.affiliation: Department of Influenza Research, National Influenza Center, National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, 24 Chocimska Street, 00-791, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Brydak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009981:Influenza B virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012621:Seasons
keywords: Children; Influenza; Molecular Biology; Respiratory Virus; Vaccine; Virology