N. Sugaya et al., The impact of winter epidemics of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus on paediatric admissions to an urban general hospital, J MED VIROL, 60(1), 2000, pp. 102-106
To demonstrate the impact of influenza epidemics on pediatric hospital admi
ssions, admissions that were attributable to influenza and respiratory sync
ytia[ virus (RSV) infection to the pediatric ward of an urban general hospi
tal in Japan were followed-up during a 4-month period from December to Marc
h 1991 through 1998. During the 1997-1998 influenza type A (H3N2) epidemic,
a diagnosis of influenza type A (H3N2) was made in 26.3% of all patients a
dmitted aged 15 years or lower. During the peak of the epidemic, as many as
50-70% of the admissions were attributable to influenza type A (H3N2). In
the seven winters from 1991 to 1988, 14.0% of all admissions were associate
d with infection with influenza virus (mean age 4.4 years), and 17.5% were
due to RSV. More patients were admitted to hospital for influenza than RSV
infection in three of the seven seasons. Among the patients with influenza,
74.5% of the cases were previously healthy children. influenza and RSV inf
ection are leading causes of pediatric hospital admissions during the winte
r. Effective methods of prophylaxis are needed not only for high-risk patie
nts, but for healthy young children. J. Med, Virol. 60: 102-706, 2000. (C)
2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.