Pandemic 2009 influenza a (h1n1) infection in children

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of this study is to share our experience of sixty-eight pediatric hospitalizations associated with influenza-like illness and pneumonia between November, 2009 and December, 2009.Materials and Methods: Clinical signs and symptoms, laboratory and radiological results, length of stay in hospital and intensive care unit, treatments and complications were compared in laboratory confirmed pandemic influenza A positive and negative cases.Results: There was no significant difference in gender distribution between the two groups. The number of positive cases in patients over 5 years of age were significantly higher than the same age group in negative patients (p=0.004). There were underlying health conditions in 78.8% of the positive cases and in 68.8% of the negative cases (p=0.57). The incidence of diarrhea in positive group was significantly higher than in the negative group (p=0.02). Low immunization rates of the seasonal influenza vaccine were remarkable in each group. There was no significant difference in vaccination rates between the two groups (p=0.99).Conclusions: The severity of the disease remained similar in patients with positive and negative groups. In both groups, the high ratio of those having an underlying disease was noteworthy.