Influenza vaccine effective against severe illness in children

Influenza vaccine is effective for preventing severe influenza illness among children, according to a study published online Dec. 27 in JAMA Network Open.

Kelsey M. Sumner, Ph.D., M.S.P.H., from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and colleagues examined vaccine effectiveness (VE) in children by severity of illness in a case-control study with a test-negative design using data from eight participating medical centers located in geographically different U.S. states. Data were included for 15,728 children aged 6 months through 17 years who presented for care with acute respiratory illness.

The researchers found that 2,710 participants (17.2 percent) had positive influenza tests and 13,018 (82.8 percent) had negative influenza tests. Of the influenza test-positive cases, 61.8, 33.1, and 5.1 percent had an emergency department visit, required hospitalization for noncritical influenza, and required hospitalization for critical influenza, respectively. Overall, 49.5 percent of the children in the influenza test-positive and test-negative groups were vaccinated. Among children of all ages, receiving at least one influenza vaccine dose was estimated to have a VE of 55.7 percent for preventing influenza-associated emergency department visits or hospitalizations. Across severity levels, the estimated VE was similar: 52.8, 52.3, and 50.4 percent for emergency department visits, noncritical hospitalization, and critical hospitalization, respectively.

“Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to protect children against influenza and its complications, including severe illness and hospitalization,” the authors write. “Improving vaccine uptake in children may reduce influenza illness and, subsequently, emergency department and hospital visits in a time of increased respiratory virus co-circulation.”

Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.

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